BETHESDA, Md. — Ángel Cabrera sensed his alternative when Padraig Harrington — taking part in just a few teams forward — faltered on the fifteenth gap with a double-bogey.
“I used to be like, ‘That is my flip,'” Cabrera stated by means of an interpreter.
Whereas Harrington was erratic down the stretch, Cabrera was regular, taking pictures a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a 1-stroke victory within the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional. It was his second senior main in per week.
Cabrera, the 2007 U.S. Open and 2009 Masters champion, received the rain-delayed Areas Custom on Monday in Alabama, which was the Argentine’s first senior main. Six days later at Congressional, he trailed Harrington by 2 strokes after Harrington rolled in a protracted birdie putt on No. 14.
However Harrington double-bogeyed No. 15, and Cabrera birdied that very same gap a short time later to take the lead. After a bogey by Harrington on the par-4 18th, Cabrera wanted solely a bogey on that gap and obtained it.
“I really feel very emotional,” Cabrera stated. “Perhaps you can’t see, however I am very very emotional inside. Particularly after the entire issues that I went by means of.”
Cabrera spent 20 months in an Argentine jail after he was convicted of assaulting, threatening and harassing a former partner. He was additionally accused of assaulting three different companions.
Cabrera was launched on parole in August 2023 and received a PGA Tour Champions occasion final month earlier than lacking the reduce on the Masters.
“I assumed that I used to be going to fail, particularly after being sitting with out touching a membership for some time,” Cabrera stated. “I have been working very, very exhausting and I really feel that every one the exhausting work pays off and that is what I am having proper now.”
Cabrera completed at 8-under 280. Harrington (68) and Thomas Bjørn (68) tied for second, with Retief Goosen (71), Jason Caron (71) and Stewart Cink (70) one other stroke again.
Defending champion Richard Bland tied for 14th at 2 below.
Cabrera was a part of a four-way tie for first initially of the day, however Harrington — who was 2 strokes again — was in nice form after birdieing seven of the primary 14 holes within the remaining spherical.
His excessive level got here on No. 14 after a wierd scenario during which there gave the impression to be some chook excrement on the inexperienced subsequent to his ball — which he was capable of take care of after a guidelines session.
“I wasn’t positive how a lot I might scrape it,” Harrington stated. “I do know you possibly can brush it off, however I needed to really scrape it off the inexperienced.”
Harrington then made a putt from about 30 toes for a birdie that moved him to 10 below, 2 pictures forward of Cabrera. However the lead shortly vanished after his 5-wood off the tee on No. 15 — a 424-yard par 4 — went left. Harrington ended up needing 4 strokes simply to achieve the inexperienced.
“I’ve had a lifelong downside with getting assured and cocky and I did on the 15 tee field. It was such a easy tee shot,” Harrington stated. “I simply completely did not get into it sufficient after which panicked on the final second and hit an enormous hook.”
Cabrera missed the inexperienced on the par-3 thirteenth however saved par, and his birdie two holes later gave him a 1-stroke lead. Then Harrington three-putted on No. 18, lacking from about 3 toes and settling for a bogey that pushed Cabrera’s result in 2.
Cabrera’s drive on 18 missed to the fitting, however Harrington was watching on TV whereas speaking to reporters when Cabrera made it safely to the ultimate inexperienced in two. At that time, Harrington hoped Cabrera would make par to spare the Irish star the additional agony of a 1-stroke loss.
“I would just actually like him to two-putt,” Harrington stated.
However Cabrera might three-putt and nonetheless win, and that is what occurred.
“Simply assume the tee shot on 15 was simply too simple,” Harrington stated. “I used to be careless. That is it.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
