Angel Cabrera has played his first U.S.-based golf event after a four-year hiatus. In 2021, the 54-year-old pro was extradited to Argentina, where he was convicted of assault against his former partners Micaela Escudero and Cecilia Torres Mana. After spending 30 months in jail, Cabrera was released and started planning to resume his golf career.
The 54-year-old cleared his visa issues to play at the PGA Tour Champion’s American Family Insurance Championship in Wisconsin. Cabrera was on the alternate list. However, he could play in the event after a sponsor exemption.
Cabrera finished 1 over 73 after round one and was T43 on the leaderboard after the opening round. The Argentine pro had played the PGA Tour Champions’ Trophy Hassan II and the KFT’s Argentine Open after being reinstated on the PGA Tour last December. Cabrera termed this new step in his life as a “new beginning” and hoped for a great future.
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🚨Angel Cabrera’s first round back in the U.S. took place today on the Champions Tour. Cabrera, 54, completed his prison term last August and served 30 months behind bars on domestic violence charges. pic.twitter.com/qvaSWuwXmB
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) June 8, 2024
Many in the golf world were happy to see Cabrera resume his golf career and, like many golf veterans, play on the PGA Tour Champions. After his first round, the golf fans wished the 54-year-old the best for upcoming events.
Golf fans appreciate Angel Cabrera’s return
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The last event Angel Cabrera played in the United States was in 2020 at the PURE Insurance Championship in Pebble Beach Golf Links, California. A four-year break can turn any fan away, but Cabrera still seems to have many left in his corner. After seeing him play his first round, this fan said, “Good to seeing him back.”
Cabrera won the first major of his career at the 2007 U.S. Open and the next at the 2009 Masters in Augusta National. The Argentine pro had a bubbling career, but his conviction stopped it. Happy for the golfer, this user commented, “Welcome back 2 time major winner Angel.”
As a Masters winner, the 54-year-old has a lifetime exemption to play the Masters. However, for the 2024 season, Cabrera could not avail the visa and missed the 88th Masters. But as he can now enter the USA, this fan hoped, “Augusta, here he comes next April!!” While another golf enthusiast also predicted, saying, “Masters 2025 soon.”
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In his opening round at the AmFam Insurance Championship, Cabrera scored three birdies, three bogeys, and a double bogey which led to him being well outside the top 10. But since there are three more rounds remaining, this fan wished that Cabrera “Should make everything inside 10’.”
Will Angel Cabrera achieve the success that people are expecting of him and redeem his golf career? Only time can tell if that will happen.