Garcia throws shoe in tantrum

Sergio Garcia threw a shoe in anger after slipping while hitting a tee shot as he lost on his World Match Play debut at Wentworth.

 Meanwhile after a month which has pushed golfing etiquette into the headlines, Colin Montgomerie has cut his US Tour schedule for 2000.

Major-winners Paul Lawrie and Jose Maria Olazabal also crashed out of the Wentworth tournament on Thursday, as did Paraguayan Carlos Franco.

Goosen beat Garcia, 2 and 1

Garcia allowed his temper to boil over as a tee shot soared into the trees.

But it was what followed on the tee that caught everybody's attention.

Garcia had experienced the same thing about four other times during the week, so he took off the offending right shoe and hurled it against an advertising hoarding.

When his manager Jose Marquina gave it back the rising star of world golf kicked it - and very nearly hit match referee John Grant in the face.

Next came the throwing of his driver back to caddie Jerry Higginbotham.

One woman spectator was heard to say of Garcia to a friend: "I think I've gone off him now."

Footwear offends

Garcia left the offending footwear with some young fans before apologising as he left the Surrey course.

"I'm sorry. If I think about it I would not do it again," said Garcia, before dashing to Heathrow for a flight home.

"Today I had a lapse. If you miss a shot because of something you do, you do get angry. We are all human and I'm not going to be smiling.

"I was two down and knew I could not afford to miss a shot. After that happened I knew it was almost gone.

"It's not something I should be showing children, but it sometimes happens. What can you do? I am not doing this every day."

Goosen and Garcia will hope the golf they produced will be remembered more than the tantrum.

The South African played the front nine in 29 in the afternoon, a figure equal to the event record.

Garcia was only one shot behind, but he trailed by two holes with four to play.

Then came the shoe incident, and Garcia never recovered.

Goosen now plays no 4 seed Nick Price of Zimbabwe in friday's quarter finals.

Parry beat Lawrie, 4 and 3

Lawrie started well enough but fell behind on the morning's back nine.

As no 8 seed Parry's putting improved so the Scot's touch on the green worsened.

The Australian was never in total command but nipped Lawrie's afternoon revival in the bud with a 25-footer at the 11th.

A bogey at the 15th condemned the disappointing Lawrie to defeat.

Parry's reward is a quarter final with defending champion Mark O'Meara, who was given a bye to the last eight, along with the other top four seeds.

Harrington beat Franco 7 and 6

Padraig Harrington produced a birdie blitz to blow away Franco.

The Irishman displayed a new-found confidence after an impressive Ryder Cup debut.

He notched up eight birdies in the morning for a two-hole lunchtime lead.

Another three early in the afternoon confirmed his superiority as Franco struggled with his swing. Harrington duly completed a fine day's work at the 12th with his 13th birdie of the match.

The Irishman plays South Africa's Ernie Els on Friday.

Begay beat Olazabal 4 and 3

This was an impressive Match Play debut from the native American, although his first round win owed much to the poorly condition of Jose Maria Olazabal.

The Masters winner looked in terrible shape as he struggled around the West Course suffering from the effects of 'flu.

Olazabal trailed by two holes after the morning round and he was not sure if he would come back out for the conclusion.

He bravely returned, but US Tour rookie Begay was always in control.