After three-putting the 17th for a double bogey six, the world number six kicked the sign as he went to the next tee.

Tournament director David Probyn said at the time: “Any breach of normal golfing etiquette is frowned upon and not acceptable. When incidents are reported to us, as this has been, we look into them and deal with them.”

And tour officials have confirmed to PA Sport that the Ryder Cup star has been fined for the incident, although the amount of the penalty has not been released.

It is not the first time the fiery Spaniard has found himself in trouble.

At the World Match Play at Wentworth in 1999 – the year he turned professional - Garcia was reprimanded and warned about his future conduct after slipping on a tee, taking off the offending shoe and kicking it, almost hitting referee John Grant.

In the Open championship at St Andrews the following summer he was reported for slamming a club into the turf after his ball finished in a divot.

But worst of all was the 2001 Greg Norman International in Sydney. He was penalised for taking a wrong drop when leading the event and in his fury hit a golf buggy and a tree with his sand wedge before criticising chief referee John Paramor.

The European Tour has a policy of not announcing the size of fines, but Garcia was thought to have been fined £5,000 then.

It is unlikely this latest fine will have been so severe with Garcia’s state of mind at the time probably taken into account.

The 25-year-old dedicated the 15th win of his professional career to a 24-year-old friend in Tenerife who died of lung cancer on Friday night.

“It was a tough day, it was a big hit to my head when I found out,” he said.

“I wanted to play well for her and her family and I think I almost tried too hard.

“I was a bit concerned on the back nine, but on the 16th (where he chipped in for birdie) I think Maria, all the way from the skies, helped me.”