ANGEL CABRERA will return to the Masters after going through the prison of hell and back.
Cabrera, 55, guaranteed himself an invite back to Augusta every April with his play-off victory in 2009.
But his appearance in the field alongside the likes of fellow former champions Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson – his first since 2019 – is shrouded in controversy.
That is because he spent two-and-a-half years in jails in Brazil and Argentina after being convicted of assault and intimidation against two former partners.
Both Micaela Escudero and Cecilia Torres Mana accused the Argentine of domestic abuse.
Cabreba admitted Torres Mana's claim he threw a phone at her head, injuring her scalp.
Another woman, Silva Rivadero – with whom he has two children – stated that Cabrera physically assaulted and verbally threatened her.
Cabrera has battled with alcohol and depression following a difficult childhood, in which his parents split when he was young, effectively left education by 12 and started a relationship with a 30-year-old mother of four at 16.
He admitted to Golf Digest in 2023: “They had the bad luck of crossing paths with me when I was at my worst.
“I wasn’t the devil, but I did bad things and that his time in prison brought the realisation.”
Cabrera was due to appear in court in Argentina in January 2021 – but missed the hearing to play in a seniors' tour event in the USA.
That meant he was placed on Interpol's red list and was eventually arrested by police in Rio de Janeiro.
Cabrera – who pipped Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk to win the 2007 US Open and lost the Masters play-off to Adam Scott in 2013 – was held in Placido de Sa Carvalho prison until his trial.
He told the Daily Mail: “Brazil was probably the worst part and the most difficult one for me.
“Pretty much all the time, I was locked down. There was not much walking or moving or anything like that.
“I was sleeping in some pieces of cloth on a bed that was basically cement.
“I was locked in with someone else, so we were two locked down there, and the cell was like two meters by two meters.”
‘WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN'
Cabrera had five months behind bars in Brazil but spent the majority of his 30 months jailed in his home country at the Carcel de Bouwer– aka the ‘prison from hell' – but was kept away from the murderers and rapists.
The golfer's job inside was cleaning the main hall but other than that, was largely confined to his cell.
He added: “When I was sent over to Argentina that was much better (than Brazil).
“The people in prison with me, they were mostly older people and educated and so it was a relatively okay environment. It wasn't a dangerous one.”
Cabrera was almost entirely cut away from the world of golf during his sentence – but kept updated with magazines brought in by his manager during visitors hours.
Player sent a letter while Ernie Els offered his best wishes, too.
Cabrera was transferred to a minimum-security facility for the final months of his term – and it was there he used a broom handle to practise his golf swing.
Now, though, having been released in August 2023, he is determined to take full advantage of his “second chance”.
Cabrera added: “Right now I'm fine. But I regret everything that I have done wrongly in my past.
“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.
“The lack of freedom is something really difficult, really hard. And on the other hand, you know, I can tell you that the most important thing I feel right now is the second chance, the opportunity to get back on the right track.”
Part of his return to society saw him enter the field for PGA Tour events from December 2023 – facing next to no animosity from his fellow players.
Augusta chairman Fred Ridley insisted the club will “definitely welcome him back” at the Masters despite his serious criminal convictions.
And after a US visa issue scuppered his hopes of a return 12 months ago, he looks set to tee it up with the world's best golfers next month.
