Angel Cabrera wins first senior major on PGA Tour Champions two years after being released from prison

Angel Cabrera has won his first senior major on the PGA Tour Champions at the Regions Tradition just shy of two years in being released from prison. 

Cabrera, 55, birdied two of his final three holes in a tense Monday finish at Greystone G&CC to see out a narrow one-shot victory over Jerry Kelly in the first senior major of the season. 

The Argentine finished the week at 20-under par and he collected a first prize of $390,000. 

It marks a second win in four starts for Cabrera on the PGA Tour Champions.

Cabrera also won the James Hardie Pro-Football Hall of Fame Invitational just before he made a controversial return to The Masters.

He has made $900,000 in earnings on the PGA Tour Champions so far this season. 

Cabrera was allowed to return to compete in The Masters due to his past champion status.

He won The Masters in 2009 and that marked his second career major having also won the 2007 U.S. Open. 

Controversy surrounded Cabrera's return to Augusta National due to having recently been sent to prison for domestic violence.

But Cabrera seemingly had no issues with his return to golf's first major of the year. 

"Why not?" were his first words at Augusta. 

Our own Ben Smith labelled it a "disgrace". 

In January 2021, Cabrera was arrested in Brazil on an interpol notice after leaving Argentina without court permission while facing domestic violence allegations.

Cabrera was then extradited in June 2021 and later convicted for assault and threats against a former partner.

He received a two-year prison sentence the following month.

In November 2022, the two-time major champion was convicted again on similar charges involving another former partner.

He received an additional 28-month sentence. 

Those sentences were served concurrently. 

Cabrera was then released on parole in August 2023 after serving approximately 30 months in custody.

He was cleared to play in PGA Tour Champions events as of December 2023.

Cabrera obtained a visa for travel to the United States and has resumed his golf career since. 

He is now back playing some of the best golf of his career at the age of 55. 

"To win a major is incredible, so I’m very proud," said Cabrera after winning his first senior major at the Regions Tradition.

"It brings a lot of thoughts into my mind. 

"It was very hard, the stuff I went through, so there’s a lot going on in my mind right now. 

"It’s hard to process.”

Cabrera now vaults to fifth in the season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings.

He will now look to make it back-to-back senior major victories at this week's U.S. Senior Open at Congressional. 

The winner of the U.S. Senior Open will earn an exemption into next year’s PGA Championship, which will be played at Aronimink.