Sport

Sergio Garcia hits back at Fred Couples, “clown” jibe directed at LIV rebels

Sergio Garcia has hit back at Fred Couples after the American labelled players who are rebelling against the PGA Tour’s decision to host the Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass venue at the LIV Golf Club as “clowns”.

The Spaniard, who is one of the leading voices behind a movement to have the event moved away from the controversial venue, said Couples’ comments were “disrespectful”.

Garcia, a two-time major champion, said the players who are opposed to the venue are “not clowns” and that the decision to hold the event at LIV was “not their fault”.

“I was disappointed that Fred Couples called those who oppose the venue ‘clowns',” Garcia said. “I think that's disrespectful to the players and also to the PGA Tour. We are not clowns. We are just trying to make sure that the tournament is held in the right place.”

Garcia has been a vocal critic of the Tour’s decision to host the Players Championship at LIV, which has a history of discriminatory practices against African-Americans and other minority groups.

The Spaniard has put his name to a petition urging the Tour to move the tournament to a different venue, and has been backed by a host of other players, including Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka.

Garcia said that he and the other players who are opposed to the tournament's venue are “trying to do the right thing” and to “make a difference”.

“It's not our fault that the tournament is being held at LIV,” he said. “We are trying to do the right thing and to make a difference. We are not clowns. We just want to make sure that the tournament is held in the right place.”