BOCA RATON, Fla. — Angel Cabrera won on the PGA Tour Champions on Sunday, 20 months after he was released after spending two years in an Argentine prison for gender violence. He made a late birdie for a 1-under 71 to win the inaugural James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational.
Cabrera, a former Masters and U.S. Open champion, was imprisoned for threats and harassment against two of his ex-girlfriends. He was released on parole in August 2023 and cleared to return to the PGA Tour Champions later that year.
He returns to the Masters next week — former champions have lifetime exemptions — and the 55-year-old Argentine known as “Pato” will arrive with his first victory in more than 10 years.
Golf Channel Staff“Everything I’ve gone through the last few years, being here, having a chance to win, is very emotional,” Cabrera said after he won.
Cabrera, who won the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont and the 2009 Masters in a playoff, was sentenced in July 2021 to two years in prison for threats and harassment of Cecilia Torres Mana, his partner between 2016 and 2018.
In November 2022, he was also on trial for threats and harassment against Micaela Escudero, another of his ex-girlfriends. Cabrera pleaded guilty, the court made the two sentences concurrent and gave him three years and 10 months in prison.
In a lengthy interview with Golf Digest in the months after he was released on parole, Cabrera said he was embarrassed by his behavior and asked his former partners for forgiveness.
“I am repentant and embarrassed,” Cabrera said. “I made serious mistakes. I refused to listen to anyone and did what I wanted, how I wanted and when I wanted. That was wrong. I ask Micaela for forgiveness. I ask Celia for forgiveness. They had the bad luck of crossing paths with me when I was at my worst. I wasn’t the devil, but I did bad things.”
The victory means Cabrera is now fully exempt on the 50-and-older circuit ...
