Sergio Garcia's frosty exchange with Masters reporter over LIV Golf saga

LIV Golf star Sergio Garcia has snapped at a reporter after his opening round at the Masters, accusing the journalist of a provocative line of questioning during a frosty exchange at Augusta National. The 2017 Masters winner opened with a two-over par 74 to be nine strokes back from a trio of leaders - Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland - who sit at minus-seven after rounds of 65.

Garcia is one of 18 LIV Golf members playing this week, which marks one of the first times LIV golfers have competed alongside PGA Tour members since the controversial, Saudi Arabia-backed league came onto the scene. Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley praised the "tone" of players from both sides of the golf divide, with Australian LIV Golf star Cameron Smith admitting he was surprised by the warm reception he's received from PGA Tour rivals on his return to the Masters.

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While things seem amicable on the surface, it's hard to escape the sense that there is an undercurrent of tension bubbling away in the background at Augusta. Garcia's response to one golf journalist's line of questioning is evidence of that.

"How normal did it feel coming back here and playing and concentrating on your game? The interviewer asked Garcia, whose move to LIV Golf's 54-hole format may have left the 43-year-old underprepared for the rigours of a Masters assault. Garcia wasn't having a bar of it, however, and accused the reporter of trying to drum up more controversy about LIV Golf.

“Totally normal. You guys need to stop it,” he replied. “You guys are making a big deal out of this, and it's you guys.”

“No, it’s not,” the reporter replied, prompting a second spray from Garcia. The Spaniard insisted: “Yes, it is. I've had nothing but great things from every single player I talk to. So please stop it and talk about the Masters.”

The reporter claimed he was merely suggesting Garcia might have been a bit underdone after coming into the Masters off the back of a less intense preparation than he would have previously been used to. The Spaniard clearly wasn't buying that explanation though.

"I don’t think you meant that, but... I played five tournaments coming in here, it’s pretty good. There’s been times where I probably maybe haven’t played that much coming into here. But it’s usually around that, four, five, six tournaments. But that wasn’t the problem."

Garcia is one of six LIV Golf members with a lifetime exemption at the Masters following his win in 2017. Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson are the others.

Aussies Jason Day, Adam Scott off to flying starts

Another former Masters winner who kicked off his tournament in style is Adam Scott, who alongside compatriot Jason Day, got off to career-best opening rounds at Augusta. Scott is three shots off the pace in a share of sixth after marking the 10th anniversary of his landmark 2013 victory with a stylish four-under 68, while Day went one better with a a bogey-free 67 to be tied fourth.

Day - having been forced to alter his swing after ongoing back issues - has recorded top-10 finishes in all seven of his 2023 US PGA Tour events. The 35-year-old has arrived in Georgia high on confidence after a quarter-final showing at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas.

The former World No.1 drained five birdies without making a single blemish on the opening 18 holes. "The (last) putt was very important," he said after saving par from the trees off the tee on the 18th.

"I had a lot of good looks out there for birdie early on, missed them. I just couldn't quite get the speed right at the start.

"I just kept on blowing it through the break. And then the back side things started easing back into where I could see the ball go into the hole a lot better and, obviously, it was nice to be able to get up-and-down on the last hole."

Teeing off earlier in the morning, Scott wound back the clock with a vintage display of ball striking and could easily have shot even lower with a touch of luck. After recording back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, he reeled off 10 consecutive pars before bursting to life late on the back nine.

He birdied the par-four 14th, then eagled the par-5 15th after a breathtaking six-iron approach over the water. Scott was desperately unlucky not to ace the par-3 16th, his ball spinning back and missing the cup by centimetres. He missed the birdie putt, then another short attempt on No.17 before making his only bogey of the day on the last.

with AAP

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