Ángel Cabrera

Ángel Cabrera
Personal information
Full name	Ángel Cabrera
Nickname	"El Pato" (The Duck)
Born	12 September 1969 (1969-09-12) (age 40) Córdoba, Argentina
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st)
Nationality	Argentina
Residence	Córdoba, Argentina
Career
Turned professional	1989
Current tour(s)	European Tour (joined 1996) PGA Tour (joined 2007)
Professional wins	46
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	2
European Tour	5
Other	41
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 2)
The Masters	Won: 2009
U.S. Open	Won: 2007
Open Championship	T4: 1999
PGA Championship	T19: 2000

Ángel Cabrera (pronounced /ˈɑːnhɛl kəˈbrɛrə/ in English^[1]) (born 12 September 1969) is an Argentine professional golfer who plays mainly on the European Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" (The duck) for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and the current Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either The Masters or the U.S. Open.^[2]

Contents 1 Background 2 Professional career 2.1 Major winner 3 Professional wins (46) 3.1 European Tour wins (5) 3.2 PGA Tour wins (2) 3.3 Argentine Tour wins (28) 3.4 Other wins (9) 3.5 Cordoba Tour wins (6) 4 Major championships 4.1 Wins (2) 4.2 Results timeline 5 Results in World Golf Championship events 6 Team appearances 7 References 8 External links

Background

Cabrera was born in Córdoba, Argentina. Cabrera's father, Miguel, was a changarin (handyman). His mother, was a dark-haired beauty who worked as a maid. Angel was three or four when his parents split up. Angel was left in the care of his paternal grandmother.

He stayed with her until he was 16, when he moved in a few feet away, to the house of Silvia, twelve years his senior, and a mother of 4 boys. They had a son, Federico, followed by another, Ángel. And for a boy who never really knew his mother, it is probably not a surprise that Cabrera fell for an older woman. Angel and Silvia have never formally married, they are officially separated.

When Cabrera was 10 he became a caddy at the Córdoba Country Club, which he says almost became his home. He learned golf playing against other caddies for money. His fierce determination and powerful swing soon caught the eye of members, one of whom, Juan Cruz Molina, a local real estate magnate, bought him his first set of clubs when he was 16.

With his stocky figure and habit of smoking at every hole, Cabrera cut a distinctive figure on the course although he has now given up smoking and chews gum instead.^[3] He is also acknowledged as having one of the biggest swings in the game. His son Federico became a professional golfer in 2008.

Professional career

Cabrera was born in Villa Allende, Córdoba, Argentina. He worked as a caddy at the home club of internationally successful Argentine professional Eduardo Romero, who became his mentor. Cabrera turned professional at the age of twenty. His first three visits to the European Tour Qualifying School were unsuccessful, but on his fourth trip in 1995, made with Romero's financial assistance, he qualified for membership of the European Tour in 1996. He retained his card comfortably in his first three seasons and improved substantially to tenth on the Order of Merit in 1999. He has since finished in the top 15 of the Order of Merit on seven occasions, with a best placing of fifth in 2005.

Cabrera's first two professional wins came in Latin America in 1995, and his first European Tour win was the 2001 Argentine Open, which was sanctioned by the European Tour on a one-time basis that year. In 2005 he won the BMW Championship, the most prestigious event on the European Tour schedule other than the majors and the World Golf Championships. However, it was only his third European Tour win, a tally which was perhaps disappointing given his consistent form on the tour. At that point, he had also won seven non-European Tour events in Latin America, where the standard of play is much lower than on the European Tour. Cabrera featured a highest of 9th in the Official World Golf Rankings^[4][5] on October 2, 2005. He was the top-ranked Latin American player for a number of years before the emerging pair of Andrés Romero and Camilo Villegas won PGA Tour tournaments in 2008.

He was a member of the international squad captained by Gary Player in the Presidents Cup in both 2005 and 2007.

Cabrera earned enough money ($623,504) on the PGA Tour in 2006 playing as a non-member to earn a tour card for 2007. He has player almost full time in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

In 2009 Cabrera announced partnership with Gary Player Design to collaborate on golf course design business with a focus in Latin America. This coincides with golf, the Olympics and Brazil coming together in 2016.

Major winner

Cabrera won his first major championship at the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont near Pittsburgh. He finished the tournament at 5-over, topping Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by one stroke. Cabrera entered the third round as the leader at even par, after finishing the first round at 1-under, and shooting 1-over on the second day. He struggled during the third round, finishing 6 strokes over par, putting him 4 strokes behind the leader and two behind Woods. Cabrera rebounded and came back strong on the last day. He birdied one of the longest par-3 holes in major championship history when he sunk a 20 foot at the 8th hole, which played at a lengthy 300 yards on Sunday. Cabrera finished one stroke under par, bringing him down to 5-over (285) for the championship, just enough to secure his first career major victory. At a post-match interview Cabrera said "Well, there are some players that have psychologists, some have sportologists, I smoke."^[6]

Cabrera became the first Argentine player to win the U.S. Open and the second to win a major, joining Roberto De Vicenzo, who won the British Open in 1967 at Royal Liverpool (Hoylake). Cabrera received the 2007 Olimpia de Oro ("Golden Olympia") as Argentina's sportsperson of the year.^[7]

Cabrera won the 2009 Masters Tournament in a three-way sudden-death playoff, sending Chad Campbell home after the first playoff hole, and besting Kenny Perry on the second. On the first playoff hole, the 18th, Cabrera missed right of the fairway, leaving his ball stymied directly behind a tree. On his second shot, he hit a shot right of the tree that would have sent the golf ball onto the 10th hole fairway, but ended up hitting another tree about 30 yards ahead, bouncing left and settling in the center of the 18th fairway. He and Perry both got up-and-down for par, while Campbell missed his 4 foot par putt and was eliminated. On the second playoff hole, the 10th, Cabrera made par to defeat Perry, becoming the first Argentine to win the Masters.^[8] He was the lowest-ranked golfer to win the Masters, having been ranked 69th before the tournament.

Cabrera and Woods are the only active PGA Tour members who have won both the U.S. Open and the Masters as of 2009.

Professional wins (46)

European Tour wins (5)

Legend Major Championships (2) Other European Tour (3)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning Score	Margin of Victory	Runner(s)-up
1	1 Apr 2001	Open de Argentina	-12 (67-65-69-67=268)	2 strokes	Carl Pettersson
2	12 May 2002	Benson & Hedges International Open	-10 (68-73-68-69=278)	1 stroke	Barry Lane
3	29 May 2005	BMW Championship	-15 (70-70-66-67=273)	2 strokes	Paul McGinley
4	17 Jun 2007	U.S. Open	+5 (69-71-76-69=285)	1 stroke	Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods
5	12 Apr 2009	The Masters	-12 (68-68-69-71=276)	Playoff	Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry

PGA Tour wins (2)

Legend Major Championships (2)

No.	Date	Tournament	54 Holes	Winning Score	Margin of Victory	Runner(s)-up
1	17 Jun 2007	U.S. Open	4 shot deficit	+5 (69-71-76-69=285)	1 stroke	Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods
2	12 Apr 2009	The Masters	Tied for lead	-12 (68-68-69-71=276)	Playoff	Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry

Argentine Tour wins (28)

• 1991 San Diego Grand Prix
• 1992 Norpatagonico Open
• 1994 Villa Gessel Grand Prix, South Open, Center Open, Nautico Hacoaj Grand Prix
• 1995 Abierto del Litoral
• 1996 South Open, Santiago del Estero Open
• 1997 Center Open
• 1998 Argentine PGA Championship
• 1999 Argentine Masters (TLA)
• 2000 Center Open, Bariloche Match Play, Desafio de Maestros
• 2001 Center Open, Argentine Masters (TLA), Argentine Open (European Tour)
• 2002 Argentine Open (TLA), Argentine PGA Championship
• 2004 South Open (TLA), North Open
• 2005 Center Open, North Open, Argentine Masters (TLA)
• 2006 Center Open (TLA)
• 2007 Center Open (TLA), Argentine Masters (TLA)

Other wins (9)

• 1995 (2) Paraguay Open, El Rodeo Open (Colombia)
• 1996 (2) Volvo Masters of Latin America (Brazil), Viña del Mar Open (Chile)
• 1998 (1) Brazil Open
• 1999 (1) Brazil Open
• 2007 (2) PGA Grand Slam of Golf (unofficial money PGA Tour-sanctioned event), Barclays Singapore Open (Asian Tour)
• 2009 (1) Gary Player Invitational (with Tony Johnstone)

Cordoba Tour wins (6)

• 2001 (2) Ascochingas Tournament, La Cumbre Tournament
• 2002 (2) Rio Cuarto Tournament, Las Delicias Tournament
• 2008 (1) Cordoba PGA Championship
• 2009 (1) Angel Cabrera Tour 2nd Tournament

Major championships

Wins (2)

Year	Championship	54 Holes	Winning Score	Margin	Runner(s)-up
2007	U.S. Open	4 shot deficit	+5 (69-71-76-69=285)	1 stroke	Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods
2009	Masters	Tied for lead	-12 (68-68-69-71=276)	Playoff1	Kenny Perry, Chad Campbell

¹Defeated Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a sudden death playoff - Cabrera (4-4), Perry (4-5) and Campbell (5).

Results timeline

Tournament	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
The Masters	DNP	DNP	DNP	CUT	T10	T9	T15	CUT	CUT	T8	T37	T25	1
U.S. Open	DNP	DNP	DNP	T37	T7	T66	T35	16	T33	T26	1	CUT	T54
The Open Championship	T51	DNP	T4	CUT	CUT	CUT	T22	DNP	CUT	7	34	CUT	T24
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	T41	T19	T37	T48	T45	CUT	DNP	CUT	CUT	T20	T63

DNP = did not play
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.

Results in World Golf Championship events

Tournament	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Accenture Match Play Championship	DNP	R64	DNP	R64	R32	DNP	R32	R32	R64	QF	R64
CA Championship	T25	T17	NT1	T36	DNP	T16	T18	T26	T19	WD	DNP
Bridgestone Invitational	DNP	DNP	DNP	T19	T23	T4	T41	T4	T69	T36	T4

¹Cancelled due to 9/11
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
NT = No Tournament
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.

Team appearances

• Alfred Dunhill Cup (representing Argentina): 1997, 1998, 2000
• World Cup (representing Argentina): 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005
• Presidents Cup (International Team): 2005, 2007, 2009

References

Wikinews has related news: Golf: Ángel Cabrera wins 2009 Masters Tournament

External links

• Official site
• Profile on the European Tour's official site
• Profile on the PGA Tour's official site
• Results in ranking events for the last two years from the Official World Golf Ranking site
• Angel Cabrera fought his way from the barrio to the U.S. Open

Awards
Preceded by Germán Chiaraviglio	Olimpia de Oro 2007	Succeeded by Juan Curuchet Walter Pérez

v • d • e The Masters champions 1934 Horton Smith • 1935 Gene Sarazen • 1936 Horton Smith • 1937 Byron Nelson • 1938 Henry Picard • 1939 Ralph Guldahl • 1940 Jimmy Demaret • 1941 Craig Wood • 1942 Byron Nelson • 1943-45 Cancelled due to World War II • 1946 Herman Keiser • 1947 Jimmy Demaret • 1948 Claude Harmon • 1949 Sam Snead • 1950 Jimmy Demaret • 1951 Ben Hogan • 1952 Sam Snead • 1953 Ben Hogan • 1954 Sam Snead • 1955 Cary Middlecoff • 1956 Jack Burke, Jr. • 1957 Doug Ford • 1958 Arnold Palmer • 1959 Art Wall, Jr. • 1960 Arnold Palmer • 1961 Gary Player • 1962 Arnold Palmer • 1963 Jack Nicklaus • 1964 Arnold Palmer • 1965 Jack Nicklaus • 1966 Jack Nicklaus • 1967 Gay Brewer • 1968 Bob Goalby • 1969 George Archer • 1970 Billy Casper • 1971 Charles Coody • 1972 Jack Nicklaus • 1973 Tommy Aaron • 1974 Gary Player • 1975 Jack Nicklaus • 1976 Raymond Floyd • 1977 Tom Watson • 1978 Gary Player • 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller • 1980 Severiano Ballesteros • 1981 Tom Watson • 1982 Craig Stadler • 1983 Severiano Ballesteros • 1984 Ben Crenshaw • 1985 Bernhard Langer • 1986 Jack Nicklaus • 1987 Larry Mize • 1988 Sandy Lyle • 1989 Nick Faldo • 1990 Nick Faldo • 1991 Ian Woosnam • 1992 Fred Couples • 1993 Bernhard Langer • 1994 José María Olazábal • 1995 Ben Crenshaw • 1996 Nick Faldo • 1997 Tiger Woods • 1998 Mark O'Meara • 1999 José María Olazábal • 2000 Vijay Singh • 2001 Tiger Woods • 2002 Tiger Woods • 2003 Mike Weir • 2004 Phil Mickelson • 2005 Tiger Woods • 2006 Phil Mickelson • 2007 Zach Johnson • 2008 Trevor Immelman • 2009 Ángel Cabrera

v • d • e U.S. Open champions 1895 Horace Rawlins · 1896 James Foulis · 1897 Joe Lloyd · 1898 Fred Herd · 1899 Willie Smith · 1900 Harry Vardon · 1901 Willie Anderson · 1902 Laurie Auchterlonie · 1903 Willie Anderson · 1904 Willie Anderson · 1905 Willie Anderson · 1906 Alex Smith · 1907 Alec Ross · 1908 Fred McLeod · 1909 George Sargent · 1910 Alex Smith · 1911 John McDermott · 1912 John McDermott · 1913 Francis Ouimet · 1914 Walter Hagen · 1915 Jerome Travers · 1916 Chick Evans · 1917–18 Cancelled due to World War I · 1919 Walter Hagen · 1920 Ted Ray · 1921 Jim Barnes · 1922 Gene Sarazen · 1923 Bobby Jones · 1924 Cyril Walker · 1925 Willie Macfarlane · 1926 Bobby Jones · 1927 Tommy Armour · 1928 Johnny Farrell · 1929 Bobby Jones · 1930 Bobby Jones · 1931 Billy Burke · 1932 Gene Sarazen · 1933 Johnny Goodman · 1934 Olin Dutra · 1935 Sam Parks, Jr. · 1936 Tony Manero · 1937 Ralph Guldahl · 1938 Ralph Guldahl · 1939 Byron Nelson · 1940 Lawson Little · 1941 Craig Wood · 1942–45 Cancelled due to World War II · 1946 Lloyd Mangrum · 1947 Lew Worsham · 1948 Ben Hogan · 1949 Cary Middlecoff · 1950 Ben Hogan · 1951 Ben Hogan · 1952 Julius Boros · 1953 Ben Hogan · 1954 Ed Furgol · 1955 Jack Fleck · 1956 Cary Middlecoff · 1957 Dick Mayer · 1958 Tommy Bolt · 1959 Billy Casper · 1960 Arnold Palmer · 1961 Gene Littler · 1962 Jack Nicklaus · 1963 Julius Boros · 1964 Ken Venturi · 1965 Gary Player · 1966 Billy Casper · 1967 Jack Nicklaus · 1968 Lee Trevino · 1969 Orville Moody · 1970 Tony Jacklin · 1971 Lee Trevino · 1972 Jack Nicklaus · 1973 Johnny Miller · 1974 Hale Irwin · 1975 Lou Graham · 1976 Jerry Pate · 1977 Hubert Green · 1978 Andy North · 1979 Hale Irwin · 1980 Jack Nicklaus · 1981 David Graham · 1982 Tom Watson · 1983 Larry Nelson · 1984 Fuzzy Zoeller · 1985 Andy North · 1986 Raymond Floyd · 1987 Scott Simpson · 1988 Curtis Strange · 1989 Curtis Strange · 1990 Hale Irwin · 1991 Payne Stewart · 1992 Tom Kite · 1993 Lee Janzen · 1994 Ernie Els · 1995 Corey Pavin · 1996 Steve Jones · 1997 Ernie Els · 1998 Lee Janzen · 1999 Payne Stewart · 2000 Tiger Woods · 2001 Retief Goosen · 2002 Tiger Woods · 2003 Jim Furyk · 2004 Retief Goosen · 2005 Michael Campbell · 2006 Geoff Ogilvy · 2007 Ángel Cabrera · 2008 Tiger Woods  · 2009 Lucas Glover

v • d • e International Presidents Cup team – 2005 Stuart Appleby • Ángel Cabrera • Michael Campbell • Tim Clark • Retief Goosen • Mark Hensby • Trevor Immelman • Peter Lonard • Nick O'Hern • Adam Scott • Vijay Singh • Mike Weir • Gary Player (non-playing captain)

v • d • e International Presidents Cup team – 2007 Stuart Appleby • Ángel Cabrera • K.J. Choi • Ernie Els • Retief Goosen • Trevor Immelman • Nick O'Hern • Geoff Ogilvy • Rory Sabbatini • Adam Scott • Vijay Singh • Mike Weir • Gary Player (non-playing captain)

v • d • e International Presidents Cup team – 2009 Robert Allenby • Ángel Cabrera • Tim Clark • Ernie Els • Retief Goosen • Ryo Ishikawa • Geoff Ogilvy • Adam Scott • Vijay Singh • Camilo Villegas • Mike Weir • Yang Yong-eun • Greg Norman (non-playing captain)