Sergio Garcia says Tiger Woods hasn’t been honest in 15 years, isn’t scared of him
I've got bad news for those of you out there hoping that this Tiger Woods-Sergio Garcia war of words would finally go away and never return. Garcia spoke to the media for the first time since the Players Championship on Monday at the BMW PGA Championship and it appears his most inflammatory comments about the No. 1 player in the world had yet to be spoken.
Golf.com's Paul Mahoney got a chance to chat with Garcia at an event hosted by TaylorMade-Adidas and it doesn't appear that Sergio is going to be the one to reconcile with Woods.
Tiger said on Monday at his own press conference that he has no plans to make up with Garcia or burry the hatchet, simply answering "No" to that very question posed by one of the media members.
Sergio heard those words and sent shots back in Tiger's direction.
"He called me a whiner. He's probably right," Garcia said Monday at Wentworth, England. "But that's also probably the first thing he's told you guys that's true in 15 years. I know what he's like. You guys are finding out."
If it wasn't Garcia basically calling Tiger a liar for the better part of a decade and a half, it was him basically admitting that it isn't his job to reach out to Tiger, repeating that sentiment from TPC Sawgrass that Garcia was, shocker, the victim.
"First of all, I don't have his number. And secondly, I did nothing wrong and don't have anything to say to him. And he wouldn't pick up the phone anyway. But that's OK; I don't need him as a friend. I don't need him in my life to be happy and that's fine. It's as simple as that. Like I have always said, I try to be as truthful as possible," Garcia said. "That's why I think sometimes most of the people love me and some hate me. I understand that but I'm not going to change. That's what makes me who I am and that's what makes me happy. And that's what makes the people I care about happy because they know they can trust me. Tiger doesn't make a difference to my life. And I know that I don't make a difference to his life."
What, no rocket engineer reference this time?!
I'd like to say that there is a side in this little spat to pick but I just feel like it's two grown men using the media as hard as they can to get at the other person. Tiger did it with as few words as possible while Sergio seemed to spill everything out when asked about what really went down at Sawgrass.
The one thing that we can only hope is true, for the rivalry's sake, is the final words Garcia said in his time with Mahoney.
"Tiger can and will beat me a lot of times in tournaments but he's not going to step on top of me. I'm not afraid of him."
It will be a cold handshake and grouping the next time the two play together, but for Sergio, golf and the fans, I hope what he said there is what he really believes. Don't be scared of Tiger, who surely isn't scared of Garcia, because these two playing their best golf means a battle of talents that golf rarely sees. It has the potential to be absolutely fantastic.
