May14 Garcia the cheat
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Sergio Garcia had to defend himself against a cheating allegation at the Players’ Championship yesterday.
Confusion arose when Garcia took relief from a drainage area on the 2nd hole. His playing partner, Cliff Kresge, and Kresge’s caddie questioned the drop.
“I’ve never tried to do anything wrong on a golf course,” Garcia said. “If I would have felt at any time that I wasn’t taking full relief, I would have called for a ruling and do whatever was right. But I felt like I did and that’s all there is to it.”
Garcia said it affected his play on the 2nd and 3rd holes and may have even cost him a stroke.
“They were calling me a cheater on that. You never like that. I’ve never cheated in my whole life. I’d rather shoot 85 than shoot 65 cheating.”
He said he finally relaxed toward the 4th or 5th hole. “It probably cost me at least one (stroke). It’s fine, but you never know. Maybe I would have not finished the way I finished.”
