Sergio Garcia of Spain tips his cap on the 18th green during the first round of the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 5, 2018.Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Defending champion Sergio Garcia racked up 13 strokes at the par-five 15th on Thursday without hitting a bad shot, he said after matching the highest score recorded at any hole in the U.S. Masters.
Garcia’s hopes of consecutive Green Jackets were in tatters after his meltdown at Augusta National.
In scenes more resembling the fictional movie Tin Cup than a major championship, Garcia drowned five balls in the pond guarding the green.
His second shot, with a six-iron from 205 yards, cleared the water but rolled back in, leaving Garcia to lament a game of inches.
“I thought it was perfect, straight at the flag,” the Spaniard said after carding nine-over-par 81. “If it carries probably two more feet, it’s probably good.”
There was less excuse for the subsequent four shots he struck with his sand wedge.
He cleared the water each time, but imparted too much backspin and watched in exasperation as ball after ball trickled back into the drink.
“It’s the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot,” he said.
“I kept hitting good shots with the sand wedge and unfortunately, I don’t know why, the ball just wouldn’t stop.”
It was a record high score at the hole. The previous worst was 11, by three players — Jumbo Ozaki in 1987, Ben Crenshaw in 1998 and Ignacio Garrido in 1999.
Garcia also matched Tom Weiskopf and Tommy Nakajima for the worst score at a single hole in the Masters.
Weiskopf’s 13 occurred at the par-three 12th in 1980 while Nakajima’s 13 was at the par-five 13th in 1978.
In the 1996 movie Tin Cup, the main character was in contention playing the final hole at a U.S. Open, only to run up a 12 after repeatedly finding the water with his approach shot.