Sergio Garcia’s meltdown in Saudi Arabia recently was so extraordinary it led many to wonder whether there was more to it than he revealed in his two subsequent apologies on social media.

Speaking publicly here for the first time about the incident on the eve of the Genesis Open on Wednesday, the volatile Spaniard was far more forthcoming and appeared genuinely contrite.

‘I received some very emotional, personal news earlier that week that didn’t help, and it was in the back of my mind,’ he said, without going into details about the personal matter. 

Sergio Garcia has spoken publicly about his Saudi Arabia meltdown for the first time

‘As I became frustrated on the course, everything erupted.’ 

He can say that again. A day after an astonishing temper tantrum in a bunker, he vandalized five greens, one so badly that he left a divot in the putting surface. 

He became the first player in the history of the European Tour to be disqualified for such serious misconduct.

Garcia admitted he knew he had lost the plot on the course. 

‘It hit me on the 10th hole,’ he said. ‘I started thinking: “What am I doing? Get your head back on top of your shoulders.”‘ 

He knows he will need his head in the right place from now on to win back the respect of his peers. 

World number two Brooks Koepka, not known for his outspokenness, summed up the outrage felt by his fellow pros when he said: ‘He’s got to stop acting like a child. He’s 40 years old, surely he will grow up eventually.’ 

Garcia responded: ‘When I next see Brooks I am going to tell him that I agree with him. I feel terrible about it. My job now is to make sure I deal with it in the best way possible, and show them that I can grow and move forward.

Sergio Garcia apologised on Twitter for his behaviour during the event in Saudi Arabia 

‘I want to face my mistakes head on. My job is to go out there and show that I can be the best behaved guy in the classroom. I just hope I can maintain their respect.’ 

Garcia concluded his eye-opening mea culpa with a nice line in self-deprecation. 

‘Brooks got my age wrong,’ he said. ‘I’m 39, not 40. So, I have a year to show him I can grow up.’ 

A bigger problem going forward might be with the American crowds, who have given him plenty of stick over the years for his earlier transgressions. 

He goes out in the first round today alongside American Keegan Bradley and Korean Sangmoon Bae. 

Gareth Southgate is set to bring Declan Rice straight into his Three Lions set-up after the West Ham midfielder switched his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England.

The 20-year-old spoke to Ireland boss Mick McCarthy and England manager Southgate yesterday to inform them of his decision.

Rice, who has won three senior Ireland caps — all in friendlies, which allows him to change his mind — qualifies for the Republic through his grandparents but was born in England to English parents. He grew up in Surrey and joined Chelsea’s academy as a seven-year-old before moving to West Ham at 14.

Declan Rice is set to receive an England call-up after switching allegiance from Ireland

He said: ‘This has been an extremely difficult decision and not one I ever expected to be making at this stage of my career. In recent months, I have discussed it with the people who mean the most to me. 

‘My parents, my family, my girlfriend and my closest friends. I have also spoken to Martin O’Neill and Mick McCarthy, Gareth Southgate and to friends and colleagues within the game whose opinion I respect. 

‘Like so many people, I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I am a proud Englishman, having been born and raised in London. However, I am just as proud of my family’s Irish heritage and my affinity and connection with the country.

‘I have equal respect and love for both England and Ireland and therefore the national team I choose to represent is not a clear-cut, simple selection.

A Sportsmail mock-up of how Rice could look in an England shirt if he receives a call-up

‘Ultimately, it is a personal decision that I have made with my heart and my head, based on what I believe is best for my future.’

McCarthy released a brief response, saying: ‘Declan rang me today and said he has decided to give it a go with England. Good luck to him.’

A written request has now been submitted to FIFA to change Rice’s registration from Ireland to England, with the switch almost certain to be granted. 

Southgate will give serious consideration to drafting Rice into his squad for next month’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Czech Republic and Montenegro provided his registration is finalised.

Rice has been offered no assurances of a place in the senior set-up by Southgate but the manager and his No 2 Steve Holland have been hugely impressed with his performances for West Ham and already view the midfielder as good enough for full honours.

Rice had played three times for the Republic of Ireland in friendlies before the switch

The England manager believes Rice can become the anchor in the national side’s midfield for the next decade. It is a role Tottenham’s Eric Dier has played regularly in recent years.

Rice added: ‘I fully accept that some Irish supporters will be disappointed by my decision, and that everyone has different opinions in regard to the rules around international representation.

‘My pride at wearing the Irish shirt was always 100 per cent genuine. It was a great honour for myself and my family, and something I will always cherish.

‘I am not taking for granted a call-up to the England squad or making any assumptions about my future international career.’

England fell to a disappointing 2-1 series defeat against West Indies, despite a dominant 232-run win in St Lucia this week.

With just one Test match against Ireland in July to come before the Ashes, Trevor Bayliss has little time left to find an XI to face Australia.

Sportsmail columnist NASSER HUSSAIN gives his verdict on those who played in the Caribbean and their chances of playing this summer…

England

Rory Burns – 5

Made a good score in Barbados but must now be wishing he’d converted that into a hundred. Found odd ways to get out, such as flicking the first ball of the day straight to square leg in the second innings in St Lucia.

Ashes: Maybe.

Rory Burns made a good score in Barbados but keeps finding odd ways of getting out

Keaton Jennings – 3

Continues to look vulnerable against seam bowling early in an innings, struggles on the drive, and was only selected here because of his performances – predominantly against spin – in Sri Lanka. 

Ashes: Thumbs down.

Joe Denly – 6

From a technical point of view, across all four of his innings, he looked pretty solid at the crease. He certainly wasn’t flustered or overawed. Played nicely for his maiden Test 50 in St Lucia but doubling that up would have made him an Ashes certainty. 

Ashes: Maybe.

Joe Denly has looked solid but a century in St Lucia would have made him an Ashes certainty

Joe Root – 6

Had a very good last game. Couldn’t have had a better one to be honest with team selection, his own batting and captaincy all spot on. Equally, his first two games were very quiet, not helped by the fact he got a few unplayable deliveries.

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Joe Root couldn’t have had a better game in St Lucia but was very quiet in the first two Tests

Ben Stokes – 6.5

The way he bowled and caught was quite brilliant. He showed so much energy in the first Test in Barbados but he was over-bowled across the first two matches. That took its toll on his batting. No coincidence that, as soon as they reduced his workload, he came back into form. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Jos Buttler – 6

Dropped a lot of catches. Batted well at times but is still failing to convert his starts. That’s just one hundred in 31 Tests now. To justify playing as a specialist top-five batsman that is something he needs to address.

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Jonny Bairstow – 5

From a batting perspective, his game looked at its tightest on the trickiest pitch in Antigua but either side of a fine half-century he looked a bit loose. It has been a winter of him shuffling up and down the order. Kept wicket well. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Jonny Bairstow has looked loose in a winter where he shuffled up and down the order

Moeen Ali – 7.5

His batting remains a bit of a lottery which is a source of frustration because he’s far too good a player to be so up and down with his form. In contrast, his bowling has been exceptional since he came back into the Test team last summer. Justifiably England’s No 1 spinner. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Moeen Ali’s batting remains a lottery but his bowling has been exceptional since last summer

Ben Foakes – 5

The work behind the stumps was fine but his batting was a little bit disappointing. He never made that telling contribution that would have meant keeping the gloves and Bairstow at bay.

Ashes: Thumbs down.

Ben Foakes’ batting was a little disappointing and he never made a telling contribution

Sam Curran – 4

His type of bowling is totally unsuited to Caribbean conditions. Either height or speed through the air is required out here. Not tall enough or quick enough. Also found himself coming in too low at No 9 to make the sort of impact with the bat of his early Test appearances. 

Ashes: Maybe.

Adil Rashid – 3

Hardly featured at all in the first Test in Barbados, bowling seven overs on a day in which Jason Holder and Shane Dowrich took the game away from England, meaning Stokes was bowled into the ground. Then, a non-spinning spinner cleaned up for West Indies. Suggests Root doesn’t trust him enough. 

Ashes: Maybe.

James Anderson – 7.5

Bowled brilliantly on the first day of the series but was used predominantly from the wrong end to start with in Antigua. It was odd that he felt it necessary to change a run-up he has had since the age of 15 this week.

Perhaps he’s worried about running on the pitch – because he has been warned a lot by umpires – but he needs to sort things one way or another before Australia arrive. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Stuart Broad – 6

It was absolutely ridiculous that he didn’t play in the opening match of the series. Even though the stats tell you he only took four wickets, he bowled well. Continues to be unlucky – that’s 98 catches dropped off his bowling in Test cricket now. Sadly, his batting has fallen off a cliff. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Mark Wood – 9

The way he bowled in the first innings in St Lucia showed we were right to get excited about him when he emerged on the international scene four years ago. England have been lacking a bowler of such pace and hostility and watching him hit 94mph was thrilling. His problem is going to be sustaining it across a full Test. 

Ashes: Thumbs up.

Mark Wood showed with his bowling in St Lucia that we were right to get excited about him