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Mark Schlabach
Augusta, Ga. – Angel Cabrera He said he understood if there were people who didn’t think he should play in Masters this week after being imprisoned for attacking and threatening two of his former girlfriends.
But Cabrera, Champions of Champions 2009, said he deserves to be in the field as a former winner of the green jacket, who has a lifelong liberation to the tournament.
“I won the Masters, why not?” Cabrera said through an interpreter on Tuesday after playing a training round in Augusta National Golf Club.
When asked what he would say to people who think he shouldn’t play in the masters, Cabrera said, “I respect their opinion and everyone has their own opinion.”
Cabrera, 55, did not play in Masters since the missing section in 2019. He wanted to play at the tournament last year but had problems with visa and could not travel to the US
Cabrera from Argentina was sentenced to two years in prison for threat and harassment of Cecilia Torres Mana, his partner from 2016 to 2018. After Cabrera was guilty, the court made both trends in parallel and gave him three years and 10 months in prison.
Was released to release in August 2023 and cleaned to return Later that year for PGA Tour champions.
“In my life for four, five years, it was a phase that there weren’t the right things I was supposed to do,” Cabrera said. “I was fine before, so I just have to do what I know I can do right.”
In a long interview with Golf Digest in the months after being released for conditional release, Cabrera said he was embarrassed and asked his former partners for forgiveness.
“I’m repentance and embarrassed,” Cabrera said. “I made serious mistakes. I refused to listen to someone and did what I wanted, as I wanted and when I wanted. It was wrong. I ask Micael for forgiveness. I ask Cecilia for forgiveness. They were unlucky that they crossed the way with me when I was in my worst.
Cabrera said Golf Digest that he had undergone treatment of alcohol addiction, including the use of daily pills to be ill if he drinks. He said he intends to stay sober for the rest of his life.
On Tuesday, Cabrera said that life gave him a second chance.
“I have to take advantage of it and I want to do the right things on this second opportunity,” he said.
On Sunday, Cabrera captured James Hardie for Football Hall of Fame Invitational At the old course in Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, Florida, his first victory at the PGA Tour Champions Circuit.
Cabrera was scheduled for Tuesday evening for an annual dinner at Augusta National Golf Club.
Adam Scottwho defeated the Cabrera in Play -off to win the Masters 2013, he said he was looking forward to seeing him.
“I can’t wait to see him,” Scott said on Sunday Associated Press. “It’s a happy thing for me. We have a fairly long history. First I met him on a European tour before we were both on the PGA. We played presidential cups, we were partners.”
Associated Press contributed to this report.
