Sergio Garcia apologises for fried chicken joke about Tiger Woods

Sergio Garcia has apologised for an alleged racist remark about he made about Tiger Woods at the European Tour’s annual awards ceremony.

Garcia, who has been involved in a war of words with Woods since an incident during the third round of the Players Championships at Sawgrass earlier this month, was on stage for a question and answer session with the rest of the European Ryder Cup team, when he made a comment that could be construed as racist.

The Spaniard was asked if he would have Woods around for dinner one night during the forthcoming US Open and replied: “We will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken.”

Garcia later issued a statement through the European Tour, saying: “I apologise for any offence that may have been caused by my comment on stage during The European Tour Players’ Awards dinner.

“I answered a question that was clearly made towards me as a joke with a silly remark, but in no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”

Garcia’s remark was similar to one made in 1997 by Fuzzy Zoeller to Woods after he had won the Masters which entitled him to choose the champions’ dinner menu for the following year.

Zoeller said: “You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it? Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.”

Zoeller later apologised and said he had been misconstrued.