Just two weeks have passed since Angel Cabrera persevered through 72 holes of brutal conditions at Oakmont to capture the U.S. Open title. Has the enormity of his win set in? What will his plans be for the rest of the year? Cabrera held a press conference today with the media to give the world a glimpse as to how winning his first major has changed his life.
Q: I wonder if you could run us through what you’ve done over the last two weeks, how you’ve celebrated, and what are some of the most interesting things that have happened to you since you won the Open?
Angel Cabrera: Well, definitely the most nice thing here since I came was to be with my family and take a rest, enjoy it with my two sons and wife, and knowing that I have this big trophy here next to me, which is very, very — it’s a lot of joy to have it here with me. Also that — well, here all the people here where I live, we’re so happy about it, and that was very nice, as well.
Q: Follow-up is what is your upcoming schedule?
A: We are flying on Sunday to the K Club in Ireland. I’m going to play the Smurfit European Open and then the Scottish Open in Loch Lomond and then the British Open, and then a week off, and then the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, then the PGA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then a week off and the playoff for the FedExCup.
Q: I wondered what you thought about going back to Carnoustie. I know you played well in the last Open there. Any recollections of the venue then, what you’d like to see it set up like this time?
Angel Cabrera: I see myself with a lot chances in Carnoustie because I like very much playing in Europe, links type of courses, and I’ve played there. I know the course, I’ve played there very often, so I see myself with lots of chances.
Q: As a follow-up, you obviously played well on possibly the most difficult U.S. Open venue, and it was a links style course. Do you think that Carnoustie sets up well for you, and are you just a better golfer on very difficult courses?
Angel Cabrera: I cannot really tell exactly, but it just happens that I have had very good results in very difficult courses, so I don’t know if difficult courses adapt to my game or myself getting adapted to the condition that are difficult. I don’t know what’s going on there, but it just happens to be like that. Well, looking forward to Carnoustie if it’s going to be like that.
Q: The next major in the United States is the PGA at Southern Hills in Tulsa. In 2001 at the U.S. Open there, you had a Top 10 finish. I wonder if you think that’s a course that suits your game, and do you like your chances of winning two majors in the States in one year?
Angel Cabrera: Well, I strongly believe that I have chances there in Southern Hills because I played well, and it’s a course that I like. So I cannot tell you if I’m going to win, but certainly, yes, I firmly believe that I have chances there, as well.
Q. As a follow-up, can you just give me an opinion of the golf course and if there is anything about the golf course that suits your game?
Angel Cabrera: Well, it’s a course that when it play tough, you have to place the ball from the tee very well. You have to do that in Southern Hills. So this is something that I do well, and I believe that if this is the case, I have chances.
Q: I was wondering, when you thought about the four major championships, usually played on four fairly different venues, which one of the four majors did you think you would break through first on for your first major win?
Angel Cabrera: Well, I never knew where and when I was going to win my first major, but it just happens that I’ve always thought that I would rather win the British Open first because the British Open, it’s always played in difficult courses and on courses that I have played for so long in Europe in my career. I know these courses very well, and I thought probably the British Open was going to be the one.
Q: Most casual golf fans, if they’ve heard your name before in a major championship, it would be from the many times you competed well at The Masters. I think two or three times you’ve either been in the lead or a shot out of the lead in the Masters, and I wonder if that gave you confidence at a big stage like Augusta, that you were able to take that on to Oakmont?
Angel Cabrera: I’ve played very well in majors like Augusta and all other majors that I’ve played on very difficult courses because I consider Augusta a very difficult course, and it tempers your spirit and gives you — playing well there give you a lot of experience and confidence to watch the majors that are coming. Well, that’s what happens.
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