Eduardo Romero and Angel Cabrera, who thrilled a large and enthusiastic local support by chasing home Tiger Woods and David Duval at the EMC² World Cup in Buenos Aires last December, are back on familiar ground again this week for the inaugural Open de Argentina.
This time, the two Argentine stalwarts of The European Tour will be pursuing individual goals at The Jockey Club, rather than playing in tandem under the pale blue and white flag. However both men are excited by the prospect of being involved in a Tour event in their homeland for the first time.
Cabrera admitted: "It was an experience to remember when I played with Romero in the World Cup at Buenos Aires Golf Club. The crowds were huge and cheered us all the way.
"I will never forget that and I think the crowds will also support this tournament. Playing on The European Tour in my home country has always been a big dream of mine and to see it happen is very exciting."
Although the EMC² World Cup was played in the Argentine capital last December under the World Golf Championships banner, this will be the first time that the European Tour has visited Argentina for a co-sanctioned, full field tournament of 156, with 50 per cent from the Association Argentina de Golf and the other 50 per cent comprised of Members of The European Tour.
Last November, 54 year old Vicente Fernandez confirmed his enduring popularity by winning the 95th edition of the event at the Jockey Club, beating Romero in a play-off. Fernandez is still fondly remembered for his victory jig at The De Vere Belfry in 1992 when he holed a huge putt on the last green to win the English Open and he will be in the field this week.
At present there are six Argentinian golfers on the European Tour - Jorge Berendt, Cabrera, José Coceres, Ricardo Gonzalez, Gustavo Rojas and Romero - and all but Coceres are playing this week.
Cabrera took 14th place on the Volvo Order of Merit in 2000, two places ahead of his friend and mentor, Romero, a long-time campaigner for the European Tour to visit his native country. He won his second Canon European Masters title and his seventh on the European Tour last September.
The city of Buenos Aires also staged the World Cup of Golf under its original format, both times at The Jockey Club. In 1962, the American pair of Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer won with a total of 557. The individual title was won by Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina with a total of 276.
Eight years later, the Australian team of Bruce Devlin and David Graham won the title with a total score of 544 with De Vicenzo, the 1967 Open Champion, again collecting the individual award with a score of 269.
As well as a strong Argentine cast, Ryder Cup players Joakim Haeggman and Costantino Rocca and are in the field along with Tour winners Warren Bennett, Diego Borrego, Alex Cejka, Thomas Levet, Jonathan Lomas, Van Phillips, Mark Roe and Anthony Wall.
