AUSTIN, Texas — Sergio Garcia‘s carelessness cost him a hole in his quarterfinal match with Matt Kuchar on Saturday afternoon at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Garcia had a 7-foot par putt to win the seventh hole that barely stayed left of the hole, inches outside the cup. But before Kuchar could tell him the next one was good, Garcia quickly back-handed a 2-inch putt and it missed the hole.
Although Kuchar told the rules official with the group that he had wanted to concede the putt, he had not done so in time and the missed putt stood.
In match play, competitors are allowed to concede putts to their opponents, but they cannot occur retroactively, the PGA Tour later said.
That meant Garcia, who would have tied the hole, went 2 down in the match.
When he missed another short putt at the eighth hole, he angrily swung his putter in the air in frustration.
According to the NBC broadcast, Garcia asked that since Kuchar was willing to concede putt on No. 7, that he should concede the eighth hole. Kuchar declined, and the two could be seen arguing about it on the ninth hole.
Sergio did rally on the back nine, pulling to within 1 down with two holes to play. But both players halved No. 17, and Garcia ran into trouble on No. 18, as Kuchar finished off a 2-up win.
Kuchar will face Lucas Bjerregaard — a 1-up winner against Tiger Woods — in the Match Play semifinals Sunday morning.