He claimed he was accused by Jerry Knapp, the caddie for fellow competitor Cliff Kresge, of taking an incorrect drop from a drainage area next to the green.

“Cliff’s caddie wanted to make a big deal, but it wasn’t,” said García after finishing runner-up to Phil Mickelson at the Sawgrass TPC.

“I took relief from the drainage. They were calling me a cheater (but) I’ve never cheated in my whole life. I’d rather shoot 85 than shoot 65 cheating.”

García birdied the hole but admitted he took a while to calm down after the incident.

“I felt a little bit of adrenaline going through my body. I finally relaxed towards the fourth or fifth hole,” he added.

The confrontation obviously did not do García too much harm because he shot a six-under-par 66, equal to the day’s best score, to pass everyone except Mickelson.

García, who has struggled for so long with his putting, finally found form down the stretch with four successive birdies from the 14th hole.

He holed a couple of monsters, none more impressive than the 40-footer he drained at the famous par-three 17th.

“The last two weeks I felt very good with my swing,” he said. “Unfortunately, last week I putted like a coward, but this week I found a couple of things and started rolling the putts very nicely.

“Even the ones I missed were good quality putts.

“I just couldn’t make a putt the first couple of days. Finally, on the weekend, I loosened up a bit and things started happening.

“On the other hand, I gave myself so many birdie chances, I guess you’ve got to make some.”