Masters champion jailed for assault, theft and intimidation against former girlfriends is allowed BACK at Augusta – and fans are all saying the same thing
Former Masters champion Angel Cabrera is set to make his comeback at Augusta this week following his time in prison.
Cabrera, who won the green jacket in 2009, has played at the Masters 20 times but has not competed at the tournament since 2019.
He spent two-and-a-half years behind bars after being found guilty of assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends in 2021.
The 55-year-old was unable to play last year due to visa issues and so makes his retun this week to much controversy after six years away.
In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Cabrera described how the ‘lack of freedom’ was ‘really difficult’ – but golf fans online have had little sympathy.
‘Will ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) pull Angel Cabrera off the course at Augusta? I’m guessing no,’ wrote one golf fan on X.
Fans have hit out at Angel Cabrera being allowed to return to the Masters after being in prison
The 2009 champion spent 30 months in jail after being found guilty of assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends in 2021
Cabrera recently told Mail Sport how the ‘lack of freedom’ was ‘difficult’ to cope with
‘Man I really hope they post Angel Cabrera’s letters of regret,’ said another, replying to the Masters’ post showing off the letter they sent out to invite players.
Another chimed in with sarcasm: ‘Angel Cabrera after his win on the Champions Tour yesterday: “It’s very emotional after everything I’ve gone through the last couple years.” Yeah, because *you’re* the victim here, chap.’
‘Apparently golf is the key to citizenship. Angel Cabrera (was) convicted of beating women not only allowed to be here from prison in Argentina, but will play at Masters and live in wealth here,’ one wrote.
On Monday, Cabrera won his first tournament since his prison stint at the inaugural James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in Florida.
The Argentinian was released from prison in August 2023 after serving consecutive sentences for domestic violence and assault and other charges after ex-wife Silva Rivadero and two of his ex-girlfriends filed charges against him.
In his exclusive chat with Mail Sport’s Riath Al-Samarrai, Cabrera said: ‘Right now, I’m fine. But I regret everything that I have done wrongly in my past and I am also frustrated that I dumped very, very important years of my life. I made mistakes.
‘It is one of the worst things that can happen to a human being, not being able to have freedom.’
As the 2009 Masters winner, he is eligible to compete in the major field as is the right of every past champion.
Pictured with Cecilia Torres Mana, one of his former girlfriends who accused him of domestic violence
Cabrera says he ‘regrets everything’ and is annoyed that he wasted ‘very important years’
He says a jail in Rio de Janeiro was the ‘worst part’ as there was ‘not much walking or moving’
The 55-year-old was kept in a ‘prison from hell’ in Argentina for the majority of his sentence
As of March, Cabrera was not in line to play as the tournament’s website stated he was ‘a past champion, not playing,’ with his agent confirming that Cabrera’s US visa application has been temporarily declined, denying him entry to the country.
In 2021, former girlfriend Cecilia Torres Mana first made accusations of assault, intimidation and causing injuries against Cabrera.
Cabrera denied the accusations but his former wife, Rivadero, and former partner Micaela Escudero, also filed charges.
The 2007 US Open winner was arrested by Brazil’s federal police on an Interpol warrant in January 2021 and spent six months in a Brazilian prison before being extradited to his homeland.
After being extradited to Argentina in June 2021, he stood trial on charges of assault, theft, illegal intimidation and repeated disrespect to authorities.
He was found guilty of assault against Torres Mana during the time they were together from 2016 to 2018 and began serving a two-year sentence immediately after the verdict.
In November 2022, he was sentenced to another two years and four months for the assault of his other ex-partner, Escudero. He served both sentences concurrently.
