Angel Cabrera wins the 2009 Masters in playoff
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April 12th, 2009
Argentina’s Angel Cabrera parred the second hole of a playoff at golf’s Masters Tournament in Sunday to claim his second career major championship in two years, becoming the first South American to claim the prized Green Jacket.
Angel Cabrera, Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell together entered the playoff. Cabrera, Perry and Chad Campbell were tied at 12-under-par 276 through 72 holes in Augusta, Georgia, forcing the first three-way playoff at the Masters since 1987. Campbell was eliminated with a bogey on the first extra hole, while Cabrera and Perry made pars.
The Argentine tapped in for the victory with a two-putt par after Perry missed a 20-foot par attempt.
Cabrera became the first South American to don the green jacket but knows that golf will remain second to soccer in his native land.
Campbell shot a 69 in the final round, and Cabrera and Perry both had 71.
Cabrera, 39, receives $1.35 million for his victory at the season’s first major tournament and his second win in the U.S. His best previous Masters finish was a tie for eighth in 2006.
“This moment, along with Oakmont in ‘07, are the happiest moments in my life,” Cabrera said through an interpreter before receiving the traditional green jacket as Masters champion.
The 48-year-old Perry, who bogeyed his final two holes to fall into the playoff, was trying to become the oldest winner in one of the sport’s four major tournaments.
“I had the tournament to win,” Perry said in a televised interview. “I lost the tournament, but Angel hung in there.”
Shingo Katayama (68) placed fourth at 278 and Phil Mickelson (67) was fifth at 279. Tiger Woods (68), John Merrick (66), Steve Flesch (67) and Steve Stricker (71) tied for sixth at 280.
Woods and Mickelson, far behind when the round began, played together and thrilled the huge crowds at Augusta National by both getting to within a stroke of the lead before falling back.
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