June17 USOpenCab
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Angel Cabrera, a 38-year-old Argentinian with three European Tour wins and 15 world wins to his name, won a dramatic 107th US Open a couple of weeks after chucking his guts up at the BMW – PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Playing ahead of the leaders he posted an impressive 1-under-par 69 to be 5-over par for the tournament; and although first Jim Furyk and then Tiger Woods had a chance of catching him, neither could. As a result, Cabrera becomes only the second major champion from Argentina ever, after Roberto De Vicenzo’s 1967 Open win at Royal Liverpool.
CABRERA PRESS CONFERENCE
Furyk came to the 17th at 5-over par, but for some reason took a driver on the short par-4 17th, a decision he will be thinking about for possibly years. He found very deep rough off the left edge, fluffed his first chip, and bogeyd the penultimate hole. Eventually at the tough closing hole, he needed to hole a 50-footer, which he missed.
“I still can’t understand how a little pea-shooter like me managed to carry the ball that far on the 17th,” said Furyk afterwards. “I would just love to have that tee shot again, but actually I’d like that first chip back even more, because I really should have got on the green and two-putted from there.” It was the second year in a row that the 72nd hole had tripped up Furyk in the US Open.
FURYK PRESS CONFERENCE
Then the world number one arrived on the 17th tee knowing he needed to make a birdie on one of the closing two holes. He found a greenside bunker off the tee at the 17th, and then says his sand-wedge hit a rock playing his bunker shot. In the end he holed a good 5-footer for par there, before failing again to make birdie on the last, narrowly missing a 20-footer on the high side.
“The fans were incredible out there,” said Tiger. “It was a special day for all of us out there. They were so into the event, cheering for me and Badds. They were fantastic. Even though at one point I was three back I felt hey, just keep hanging in there, and you never know what can happen. In the end I just couldn’t make enough birdies.”