Defending champion Sergio Garcia matched the worst one-hole score in US Masters history with an octuple-bogey 13 at the par-5 15th hole in Thursday's opening round at Augusta National.
And the 38-year-old Spaniard says he does not feel like he hit a bad shot on the 530-yard hole, even though he plunked five of them in a row to a watery grave in the pond guarding the green.
Splash. Splash. Splash. Splash. Splash.
"I don't know what to tell you. It's one of those things," Garcia said. "It's the first time in my career where I make a 13 without missing a shot. Simple as that.
"I felt like I hit a lot of good shots and unfortunately the ball just didn't want to stop. So it's just unfortunate, but that's what it is."
It became a real-life version of the movie Tin Cup with Garcia in the Kevin Costner role of Roy McAvoy, who refuses to quit until he makes a shot even as his chance at victory vanishes with balls rolling off the green into the water.
"I kept hitting good shots with the sand wedge," Garcia said. "I don't know why the ball just wouldn't stop."
Garcia was level for the worst score on any hole played in Masters history, the other 13-stroke efforts coming from Tommy Nakajima in 1978 at the par-5 13th and Tom Weiskopf in 1980 at the par-3 12th.
It is the worst Masters score on any hole outside famed Amen Corner - the 11th, 12th and 13th holes that often decide Masters success.
"With the firmness of the greens and everything, I felt like the ball was going to stop," Garcia said. "Unfortunately, for whatever reason, it didn't want to."
Garcia hit that ball with a mind of its own off the tee to 206 yards from the pin, then used a 6-iron from the fairway on his first try.
"I thought it was perfect. Straight at the flag," Garcia said. "If it carries probably two more feet, it's probably good. And if it probably carries a foot less, it probably doesn't go off the green and probably stays on the fringe.
"But unfortunately I flew it on the perfect spot for it to come back."
Garcia then moved to the relief area to try again, and again, and again, and again before mercifully reaching the green and ending the misery.
Ninth-ranked Garcia, who birdied the par-3 16th after the horror show, finished with a nine-over par 81 in his first round as a major defending champion, a nightmare epilogue to what had been the Spaniard's feel-good story.
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Garcia won his first major title on his 74th try at last year's Masters on what would have been the 60th birthday of his idol, the late Masters champion Seve Ballesteros.
Since then, Garcia got married, wearing his champion's green jacket at the wedding reception, and last month became a father, naming his daughter Azalea after Augusta National's 13th hole.
Do not expect any siblings named Firethorn - the name of Augusta National's 15th hole.
There was no consolation for 17 other holes played at one-over par.
"Not really," Garcia said. "I shot 81, which is not great. I was fighting hard. I was doing quite well."
But Garcia lipped out a birdie putt at 13, his first competitive try at the hole named for his baby daughter. Then he made bogey at 14.
"And then, obviously," he said. "The rest is history."
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Which products are to be taxed?
To be taxed:
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Scorebox
Dubai Hurricanes 31 Dubai Sports City Eagles 22
Hurricanes
Tries: Finck, Powell, Jordan, Roderick, Heathcote
Cons: Tredray 2, Powell
Eagles
Tries: O’Driscoll 2, Ives
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
