Angel Cabrera tees off during the first round of the 2019 Ally Challenge. | Photo by Jorge Lemus/Getty Images
Angel Cabrera, a two-time major champion, is back on the course and playing well after serving time in jail.
After finishing a 30-month prison sentence for concurrent domestic violence charges, Ángel Cabrera is back on the course.
And playing great, no less.
Cabrera, who won the 2007 U.S. Open over Tiger Woods and the 2009 Masters in a playoff, carded a 5-under 66 on Thursday. He did so during the second round of the Abierto del Litoral, also known as The Coast Open in Argentina, an event on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica circuit.
Interestingly, this will become the PGA Tour Americas in 2024, merging with PGA Tour Canada to form one circuit.
But the focus for now is on this week’s event, which marks Cabrera’s first competition since the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in August 2020. He tied for 70th that week with John Daly.
Rust was to be expected out of the Argentine, and he most certainly looked the part during the first 28 holes of the tournament.
He likely felt deflated when he arrived at Rosario Golf Club’s par-5 11th hole on Thursday, as he had just bogeyed the 10th. At that point, Cabrera sat at even par for the championship. With the cut line also at even, the Argentine knew he needed to make a move.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Ángel Cabrera captured the 2007 U.S. Open, his first major title.
And he did just that. Cabrera birdied the 11th, 13th, and 15th holes to quickly get him to 3-under.
But he was not finished.
The two-time major winner then birdied the par-4 17th and topped his round off with an eagle at the par-5 18th.
Just like that, in eight holes, Cabrera went from possibly missing the cut to finding himself within the top 20. He sits in a tie for 16th thanks to his electric 5-under 31 on the back nine on Thursday.
Since he carded an even-par 71 during Wednesday’s opening round, Cabrera sits at 5-under for the championship—eight shots back of the leader, a young Argentine amateur named Joaquin Ludeña.
Cabrera has won this event once before, in 1995, 12 years before he joined the PGA Tour. The Coastal Open is one of Argentina’s premier golf tournaments, as it has been held in Rosario, Sante Fe, Argentina, since 1932.
Whether Cabrera will return to playing on the Champions Tour in the United States in 2024 remains to be seen. Due to his convictions, Cabrera must seek permission from Argentine authorities to leave his home country.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
