Angel Cabrera delighted the home fans when he made his long-awaited winning breakthrough on the European Tour, capturing the Open de Argentina by two strokes from Sweden’s Carl Pettersson at the Jockey Club in Buenos Aires.
Cabrera won his national title, co-sanctioned with the European Tour for the first time, after closing with a three under par 67 for a 12 under par total of 268. The 31 year old from Cordoba, who has finished second on The European Tour on four previous occasions, immediately dedicated his maiden title to his friend and mentor Eduardo Romero who helped to bring the European Tour to Argentina.
“Eduardo has helped me a lot with my career and supported me unconditionally,” said Cabrera. “ He is a person loved and welcomed everywhere he goes and without his help I wouldn’t be playing on The European Tour. I dedicated this win to him from my heart.
“This is one of the most important moments of my life. I have longed for this victory for a long time – to win this tournament in my own country. I could never do it before and now I am very happy. I knew that it was going to happen sooner or later. We all have opportunities – this was my opportunity.”
Cabrera started the final day level with Pettersson but it was the 23 year old Swede who struck first, making a birdie on the opening hole. Two holes later the lead was reversed when Pettersson over clubbed and could do no better than a bogey four while Cabrera birdied. It was a lead that Cabrera was never to relinquish as he picked up two more birdies without a dropped shot.
Pettersson trailed by three with four holes to play but put some pressure on the leader with a birdie on the 15th and then another on the 16th, holing from 25 feet. But Cabrera kept his nose in front with his own birdie on the 16th from 15 feet to set up his victory on home soil.
“The 16th was the key,” said Cabrera. “ I knew I was leading by two strokes and Carl holed a great putt for birdie. I knew I had to hole mine and luckily made a good putt.”
Cabrera wins 130,697 euro (£81,626) and moves up to tenth in the Volvo Order of Merit with 189,038 euro (£118,062) and heads to Augusta National to compete in the Masters Tournament brimming with confidence.
Pettersson, playing his first season on The European Tour after graduating from the Qualifying School Finals last year, fired a closing 69 to claim second spot.
“I got off to a great start with a birdie on the first and felt confident. I missed a couple of chances around the turn but holed a good putt on the 16th but Angel followed me in. He out played me today.
“I thought I handled myself well. I was a little nervous starting off but calmed down with the birdie on the first.
It has been great playing in Argentina and in front of the big crowd. I’m delighted for Angel winning in front of the home crowd.”
Former Amateur Champion Graeme Storm, also in his first full season on Tour, claimed third place on eight under par 272 after a final round of 69 after picking up birdies on the 15th and 16th while Mark Mouland, Matthew Blackey, Henrik Bjornstad and Costantino Rocca shared third on six under par 274.
