After spending 2.5 years in prison, Angel Cabrera is ready to return to golf.

• Related: Gary Player leaves fans stunned with 7-word putdown of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The former Masters champion was sentenced back in the summer of 2021 after being found guilty of “assaulting, threatening and harassing” his ex-girlfriend.

According to his coach, Charlie Epps, “El Pato” is practicing and gearing up for a return to professional golf.

“He wants to play, he’s learned his lesson, he wants to get on with his life,” Epps told Golfweek.

Epps continued, “I think he’s in a great frame of mind for what he’s been through. He’s got to go through the mechanics of getting his Visa back and then approach the PGA Tour and I think it’s going to end up being good.”

“He demonstrated his talent and drive is still there. We played five rounds of golf at Córdoba Golf Club, where we both grew up playing, and he was always under par. Right now, he’s just trying to get his life in shape and practice and stuff like that and get here to the United States. He’s been humbled and says, ‘It’s all up to him.’ He knows what he needs to do and he said he’s ready for a second chance. He prays to God he doesn’t take another drink. And he’s so headstrong. When he puts his mind to doing something, he’ll do it just like that. The day he won the Masters he was walking from the 10th green after making a bogey and going three behind. I asked him, ‘What were you thinking about?’ He said, ‘I told myself I just have to make three birdies because 12 under is going to be a good score.”

Epps also believes that a US Senior Open title could be in Cabrera’s future”

“The way Angel plays on hard courses, I think he can still win the US Senior Open. I want him to be the comeback player of the year.”

Cabrera is currently seeking a Visa to return to the United States then he must apply for reinstatement for the PGA Tour Champions.

More from the 19th Hole

 

During the first round of the Nedbank Challenge at Gary Player Golf Course, Gary Player himself was in the booth alongside his co-commentator Alison Whitaker.

• Related: Shot clocks, timeouts and referees: All you need to know on Tiger and Rory’s new TGL league

During a Justin Thomas shot, the subject of female golfers at Augusta National came up in conversation.

“Now to see a woman being a member, I think it’s fantastic, she’s the best lady golfer in the world, or she was. It’s wonderful to see,” Player said about Annika Sorenstam and the recent report of her gaining membership at Augusta National.

However, the conversation took a peculiar turn when Whitaker brought up the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and how it was good for the game.

“I don’t agree with you on that,” Player replied.

Come on Gary ?????????? @NoLayingUp #NGC2023 pic.twitter.com/x5BAbbV9kY

— Matt Hillier (@wingazz) November 9, 2023

The topic was quickly changed after the comment, and X users were split on whether or not he should be criticized for his remark.

One X user speculated that the comment may have been due to Player’s history with ANGC rather than the fact that women were playing there.

Cmon guys, he’s clearly talking about something else. He has had run ins with Augusta regarding his grandson.

— St. Stephen (@andrew_just) November 9, 2023

The LIV Golf off-season is underway. The off-season will include a transfer window, free agency, trades and a draft between now and the start of the 2024 season.

• Related: Shot clocks, timeouts and referees: All you need to know on Tiger and Rory’s new TGL league

Phase 1: Top 24 contract extensions. These players include Peter Uihlein (12th, 4Aces GC), Anirban Lahiri (13th, Crushers GC), Carlos Ortiz (15th, Fireballs GC), Richard Bland (20th, Cleeks GC) and Scott Vincent (22nd, Iron Heads GC). If a player in this group decides not to accept the offer from his current team, he will become a free agent and may be signed by another team with an open roster spot.

Phase 2: Free Agency In addition to any Top 24 players who opt to become free agents, players who finished 25th to 44th (Open Zone) whose contracts also expire at the end of 2023 are free agents. These players may be re-signed by their previous team or can negotiate a contract with another team that has an open roster spot.

Phase 3: LIV Golf Promotions event at Abu Dhabi Golf Club (Dec 8-10). The top three performers will earn a LIV Golf contract for 2024.

Trades and the Draft: Throughout the offseason, teams may trade players from their current rosters, providing the trade is approved by both teams. To support opportunities for teams to strengthen their rosters once the season has begun, a mid-season trading window will take place in 2024 (exact dates to be announced) where teams and players will be free to negotiate trades as well as extensions to their existing contracts if a player is in the last year of his contract.   Following LIV Golf Promotions, the league will host the LIV Golf Draft through which the winner of The International Series Rankings and the top three finishers in LIV Golf Promotions will be drafted onto the remaining teams that have an open spot on their roster.

Some big-name players including Pat Perez, Graeme McDowell, David Puig, Matt Jones and Bernd Wiesberger could potentially be at risk of losing their LIV Golf spots as the transfer window gets underway. These players finished in the “Open Zone” (25th-44th) and will need to be re-signed by their current teams or picked up by another team to secure a LIV spot. Therefore, their LIV future is uncertain.

Perez, who has been very vocal in his love for LIV Golf since joining the tour back in 2022, has struggled mightily with his game. McDowell, who has also failed to perform at his best on the tour, had this to say back in September:

“I feel like I’ve been a good spokesman for the league and a good ambassador for the tour and hopefully there is a captain that wants me on his team.”

Of the five, Spaniard David Puig’s spot seems to be the most secure. Puig finished the season strong and won the International Series Singapore on the Asian Tour by five strokes in October. At just 22 years old, the former ASU Sun Devil is one of LIV’s few potential rising stars.

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