‘Never Thought of…’

“I made serious mistakes,” admitted Angel Cabrera during an exclusive interview. But, understandably, the world is not ready to forgive him. So, what led to this former Masters champion’s downfall? From 2021 to 2023, Cabrera spent 30 months in prison across various facilities in Brazil and Argentina. He was convicted of two counts of assault against his ex-girlfriend, Cecilia Torres Mana, and in 2022, he was also found guilty of assaulting another ex-girlfriend, Micaela Escudero. Just when you least expected it, he’ll be back playing at Augusta National, starting at 10, despite facing some heavy backlash. But, now, Angel Cabrera finally has an answer.

Cabrera sat down for a press conference ahead of his first Masters appearance since 2019. When asked about the same ahead of the Masters, he replied, “I’m very happy, had a great week and that obviously gives me a lot of confidence to even play better this week.” When asked if he ever thought he’d never be back at Augusta, he replied that he “never thought of that, I just let things pass, and I never thought either I was going to come back or not, it’s just the way things happen.” However, it is the next question that is interesting. The interviewer asked: “What would you say to the people that maybe think you shouldn’t be here?”

Angel Cabrera acknowledged the backlash and replied, “I respect their opinion and everybody has their own opinion and I respect that.” So far, no golfer has come forward to make a statement against Cabrera’s presence at Augusta National. However, the fans have shown plenty of anger by saying that the golfer “Shouldn’t be allowed to play.” The last time Cabrera performed at the Masters, he missed the cut. However, the 55-year-old golfer is looking quite strong ahead of the Masters. Cabrera clinched his first win this year at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational. He did so by shooting 11-under par.

When asked what he did to once again play at Augusta National, Cabrera replied, “I won the Masters, why not?” Cabrera did do that in 2009. However, despite the backlash, Cabrera is receiving support from some of the golf figures.

Angel Cabrera is receiving support from the golf world amidst the backlash

“Golf is all he has left. But he has a second chance and a chance to make money now. He knows that course and knows those memories. He will be fine,” said Cabrera’s longtime teacher, mentor, and friend, Charlie Epps, just a few days ago. Interestingly, according to Cabrera at the Augusta National press conference, he also agrees that he has a second chance. “I got to take advantage of that and I want to do the right things in this second opportunity,” Cabrera said. Now, back to Epps.

The Texas golf professional has known the Masters and U.S. Open Champion for most of his life. This includes their 2009 Masters victory and Cabrera’s time in prison for assaulting ex-girlfriends. At 81, Epps is unable to travel to Augusta next week but remains in constant contact with Cabrera. And he will host Cabrera in Houston later this month for a Champions Tour event. Additionally, according to Epps, Cabrera has got plenty of friends in the golf world. These include Gary Player and Bernard Langer.

Besides these people, even the Australian golfer, Adam Scott, has shown him support for his comeback. “I can’t wait to see him. It’s a happy thing for me.” The two have a long history, according to Adam Scott. They first met on the European Tour before joining the PGA Tour. They have played in Presidents Cups together and were partners. Additionally, at the 2013 Masters Tournament, Scott defeated Cabrera in a playoff.

We will have to wait and see if any other golfers voice their opinions about Angel Cabrera as the Masters approaches. In the meantime, the impact of his past actions will likely linger. After his release from prison, Cabrera expressed his embarrassment over his behavior and sought forgiveness from his former girlfriends in an interview with Golf Digest. Now, we can only anticipate what Augusta National has planned for its former champion.