Singapore, July 12: US Open champion Angel Cabrera announced today that he will be heading to Sentosa Golf Club for the second time running, intensifying the competition at the US$4 million Barclays Singapore Open which takes place from November 1-4, 2007.
Currently ranked 18th in the world, Cabrera recently made headlines for being the first Argentine to win the US Open when he held off world number one Tiger Woods for a closing round of 69 and final score of 285, five over par on the challenging Oakland Hills course in June.
Cabrera, also known affectionately as “El Pata”, or the duck in Spanish because of the way he walks on the course, is well-known for his long drives, averaging over 300 yards.
At last year’s Barclays Singapore Open, Cabrera finished a respectable joint eighth and this year is sure to return with greater confidence having done so well at Oakland Hills, whose narrow fairways and long rough are similar to what he can expect on Sentosa’s Serapong Course.
Graham Bell, chairman of the Barclays Singapore Open committee said: “Cabrera joins an exciting field of some of world’s top players at the Barclays Singapore Open. He’s been playing especially well this year and it’ll be a treat for spectators to see some of the world’s best golfers grace our shores once again.”
The 37-year-old Cabrera, who is self taught, has won three times in Europe including the 2005 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club having previously been runner-up on two occasions.
He will face stiff competition from two-time defending champion Adam Scott as he returns to attempt a hat-trick this year in the full-field Asian Tour event. Cabrera will also be up against Ernie Els, currently ranked world number five, who is returning in a bid to claim the title that has so far eluded him and world number six Vijay Singh, a former Masters winner. Other noteworthy players who have confirmed their participation include former US Open champion Michael Campbell, Ryder Cup hero and stalwart of the European Tour, Darren Clarke and Japan’s Shingo Katayama.
