Angel Cabrera's immediate reaction to Senior PGA Championship win: "The stuff I went through..."

Angel Cabrera admitted his Senior PGA Championship triumph was 'hard to process' after 'everything I've been through'. 

The former Masters champion claimed his second senior major title in the space of a week with a one-shot victory at Congressional Country Club in Maryland. 

Cabrera, 55, closed with a 3-under 69 on Sunday to finish on 8-under to defeat Padraig Harrington and Thomas Bjorn by one stroke. 

Last week, Cabrera claimed a one-stroke victory over Jerry Kelly to claim the first senior major of the PGA Tour Champions season at the Regions Tradition. 

"To win a major is incredible, so I'm very proud," Cabrera told reporters. 

"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 was referencing the fact he served 30 months in various South American prisons for domestic violence offences. 

The Argentine, nicknamed El Pato (The Duck) because of the way he walks, was found guilty in 2021 of numerous charges that included assault, theft and illegal intimidation against former girlfriends.

He was released in August 2023 and returned to Augusta National for the first time since his incarceration last month.

Cabrera's return was heavily criticised. 

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley was questioned about the decision to allow Cabrera to compete in the first men's major of the year.

Ridley said Augusta 'deplores domestic violence of any type'. 

But he added: "As it relates to Angel, Angel has served the sentence that was prescribed by the Argentine courts, he is the past champion and so he was invited."

Cabrera was arrested in Rio de Janiero in January 2021 after being placed on Interpol's Red Notice list. 

He had been fugitive in Argentina since the previous August. 

Following his arrest in Brazil, he was remanded in prison until his extradition to Argentina in June 2021.

He was then convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.

In November 2022, he was convicted of a second assault and sentenced to an additional two years and four months in prison.

Cabrera was convicted assaulting, harassing and threatening Cecilia Torres Mana during their relationship between 2016 and 2018. 

He was convicted of similar charges against Micaela Escudero. 

His ex-wife, Silva Rivadero, has also filed complaints against the golfer and they are currently under investigation. 

Whilst serving his prison sentence, Cabrera married Yamila Alvarez.

The couple have a son. 

Cabrera insists he is a changed man. 

Before teeing it up in the first round of The Masters, he said: "Everybody has their own opinion and I respect that.

"Life has given me another opportunity. I have got to take advantage of that and I want to do the right things in this second opportunity. 

"There was a stage in my life of four, five years, that I wasn't doing the right things I should have done. 

"Before that I was okay, so I just have to keep doing what I know I can do right."