Sergio Garcia reportedly sped up the demise of LIV Golf

Sergio Garcia may have unintentionally hastened the demise of Saudi-backed LIV Golf with his actions at The Masters earlier this year.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which had been funding the breakaway golf league, announced earlier this year that it was pulling out its funding, leaving the league’s future in doubt. One catalyst for this was Garcia’s unsporting behavior at Augusta National.

Garcia, one of the players who left the PGA Tour for LIV, angrily smashed his club against a tee box after a poor shot on the final day of the Masters in April. The incident deeply embarrassed Public Investment Fund head Yasir al-Rumayyan and helped lead to his decision to withdraw funding, according to Sujeet Indap and Samuel Agini of the Financial Times (h/t CBS Sports).

The fund had already been contemplating ending the investment before the Masters, so the decision was likely coming either way. It is not out of the question, though, that Garcia’s meltdown accelerated the decision.