Angel Cabrera ended his frustrating hunt for a maiden European Tour win in
front of his adoring fans in the Argentina Open.
Cabrera carded a closing round of 67 at the Jockey Club to hold off playing
partner Carl Pettersson of Sweden with England's Graeme Storm in third place.
The 31-year-old's 12-under-par total of 268 gave him the £81,000 first prize
and a long overdue maiden success after four second places, two thirds and 17
other top 10s in five years on tour.
Pettersson, playing only his ninth tour event, carded a 69 to finish alone in
second with Storm two shots further back, also after a 69.
England's Matt Blackey, Welshman Mark Mouland, Italian Costantino Rocca and
Norway's Henrik Bjornstad shared fourth place on six under.
"This is one of the most important moments of my life," said Cabrera as he
dedicated his win to Eduardo Romero, who lived just two blocks away in Cordoba
and faithfully supported the former caddie after encouraging him to take up the
game at 15.
"I have longed for this for a long time, to win this open in my own country.
I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. We all have our opportunities,
this was mine.
"Eduardo has helped me a lot in my career and has always supported me
unconditionally. He is always next to me in Europe, he is a man loved and
welcomed wherever he goes and that has helped me a lot. Without his help I would
not be playing on the European Tour."
Storm, who came through the qualifying school in November, was delighted to
have finished third in his first full season on tour, especially after
despairing about the state of his game a few weeks ago in Qatar.
After missing the cut he spent two days working hard on the range with his
coach, television commentator Tim Barter, and the dedication paid dividends.
"I said to Tim in Qatar that I wasn't going to keep my card if I kept playing
like that," said Storm, the former Amateur champion from Hartlepool who turned
professional after playing in the 2000 Masters where his mother Jane caddied,
the first such combination ever at Augusta.
"I needed to make some changes and I owe Tim a lot of credit. I got more
positive about my swing and it's helped a lot on the golf course. If I hit a bad
shot now I know what I've done wrong which I didn't before.
"I didn't expect to be up there so early in my first season and it was nice
to be in that arena today and yesterday. It was good to get the adrenaline going
again and it will stand me in good stead.
"I was very nervous the last two days but I have learnt that I'm good enough,
that's the biggest lesson.
"After Qatar I was down about my whole game but Tim got me back on the
straight and narrow and I'm very happy with the week."
Pettersson, who turned professional after winning the European Amateur
Championship last year, said: "I've learnt I can win.
"I always knew that I could and it's nice to prove that to myself this early
in the season and I would like to give myself some more chances in the year.
"I thought I handled myself well playing in front of the big crowd and got
off to a great start with a birdie on the first.
"I hit a good shot on the third but it was the wrong club and went over the
back and the same on the sixth to make two bogeys.
"But even after I holed a good birdie on the 16th Angel followed me in; he
outplayed me today."
Cabrera and Pettersson began the day tied on nine under par with tour rookie
Pettersson taking an early lead with a birdie on the first.
But from the moment Cabrera birdied the second while Pettersson ran up a bogey
four for a two-shot swing, the Argentinian was never headed and kept his nose in
front with another birdie on the 10th.
Pettersson refused to give in without a fight however and closed the gap to
two with a birdie on the 15th and then rolled in another from 15 feet on the
next.
But Cabrera kept his nerve to follow his playing partner in from eight feet to
maintain a two-shot cushion that he held until the end, much to the delight of
the home crowd and mentor and tournament promoter Romero.
Meanwhile joint-fourth place for Blackey meant a second top 10 in consecutive
weeks for the 29-year-old from Hampshire, who missed out on earning his card at
the qualifying school by just one shot.
He said: "I'm delighted with the way I've played over the past two weeks. I
put a lot of pressure on myself to do well and couldn't have dreamt of two top
10s.
"I've got a few quid now and I'm going to have to try and get a few more
invites now rather than go back to the Challenge Tour.
"I'm the highest player in the Ryder Cup list not exempt for most tournaments
after losing my card and missing it at the school. Hopefully facts like that and
my current form might get me some invites."
Mouland revealed the secret of his success was a new fitness regime after
being forced to visit the qualifying school in November to retain his card.
"I've been going to the gym every day for an hour and I feel a lot stronger
at the end of rounds," said the 39-year-old Welshman.
"I'm 40 in a couple of weeks and I remember when I met Gary Player last year
he said when you turn 40 you have to get fit, especially if you want to play on
the Seniors Tour. You can't get better advice than that.
"I had noticed that I was getting a bit shorter than all these young guys out
here and I can feel a bit of strength coming back."
Collated scores (GB unless stated):
268 A Cabrera (Arg) 67 65 69 67 (£81,626)
270 C Pettersson (Swe) 65 69 67 69 (£54,415)
272 G Storm 68 66 69 69 (£30,661)
274 M Blackey 66 70 71 67, M Mouland 69 68 69 68, H Bjornstad (Nor) 70 70 66
68, C Rocca (Ita) 71 67 65 71 (£19,273 each)
275 N Henning (Rsa) 70 69 71 65, O Karlsson (Swe) 65 69 72 69, V Fernandez
(Arg) 69 72 65 69, H Otto (Rsa) 70 67 68 70, D Lee 72 66 67 70
276 R Alvarez (Arg) 71 72 66 67, C Hanell (Swe) 70 69 69 68, A Franco (Par)
64 72 71 69, A Wall 68 70 68 70, R Gonzalez (Arg) 70 64 69 73
277 T Levet (Fra) 69 70 70 68, P Eales 69 69 70 69, JM Lara (Spa) 65 71 71 70,
M Anselmo (Arg) 73 64 70 70, E Romero (Arg) 70 66 69 72, TJ Munoz (Spa) 69 66 67
75
278 M Florioli (Ita) 71 68 70 69, S Hurley 73 64 70 71
279 M Lonardi (Arg) 72 70 73 64, M Fernandez (Arg) 73 69 71 66, D Borrego
(Spa) 69 72 71 67, M Lundberg (Swe) 66 72 72 69, D Fichardt (Rsa) 68 72 70 69, F
Cea (Spa) 69 70 70 70, J Skold (Swe) 73 68 66 72, J Zapata (Arg) 69 69 68 73, M
Molina (Arg) 70 69 66 74
280 C Hainline (USA) 71 70 70 69, E Simsek (Ger) 65 71 71 73, D Bishop (USA)
67 71 69 73, J Berendt (Arg) 70 65 69 76
281 M Roe 73 65 75 68, N Colsaerts (Bel) 75 67 71 68, G Rojas (Arg) 72 70 69
70, V Phillips 71 71 69 70, J Wade (Aus) 73 67 70 71, R Johnson (Swe) 65 71 73
72, S Scahill (Nzl) 69 67 73 72, H Carbonetti (Arg) 71 67 70 73
282 A Licera (Arg) 67 71 76 68, J Lomas 70 72 72 68, M Santi (Ita) 72 69 72
69, J Amaya (Col) 71 70 70 71, S Hurd 72 69 70 71, A Rocha (Bra) 74 68 69 71, A
Raitt 70 68 70 74, R Jacquelin (Fra) 72 71 65 74
283 D Edlund (Swe) 71 70 72 70, H Kuehne (USA) 72 71 69 71, R Franco (Par) 68
74 69 72, M Jonzon (Swe) 72 67 71 73, G Clark 69 69 70 75
284 C Rodiles (Spa) 73 67 75 69, G Havret (Fra) 72 70 72 70, K Ferrie 70 72 71
71, S Khan 70 71 71 72, R Coceres (Arg) 70 71 71 72, A Canete (Arg) 73 65 72 74
285 E Argiro (Arg) 69 70 75 71, O Edmond (Fra) 70 73 69 73
286 D Donahue (USA) 74 69 76 67, T Gogele (Ger) 75 68 67 76
287 C Montaserio (Arg) 74 66 75 72, D Hale (Tri) 72 71 72 72, E Isasi (Par) 72
69 71 75
288 T Hegna (USA) 73 70 73 72
289 S Richardson 72 71 72 74
290 F Andersson (Swe) 69 74 77 70, C Cevaer (Fra) 69 72 76 73
291 A Beal 72 71 76 72, A Sowa (Arg) 72 71 75 73, F Chiesa (Arg) 70 73 72 76
292 S Dyson 72 71 75 74
294 P Walton 72 70 79 73
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