Angel Cabrera To Play First PGA Tour-Sanctioned Event Since Prison Release

Angel Cabrera is this week set to play in his first PGA Tour-sanctioned event since being released from prison.

The two-time Major champion served a 30-month sentence in Brazil and Argentina for domestic assault and other charges relating to former partners, and - upon leaving jail in August of last year - has since targeted a return to competitive action.

The PGA Tour has confirmed to Golf Monthly that "Cabrera is eligible to compete on all Tours," while Golf Digest also obtained a letter from the PGA Tour - which the Argentine is said to have received on December 18 - stating the 54-year-old's suspension has been "lifted effective immediately."

Cabrera could well tee it up at Augusta National Golf Club in the future, too, with chairman Fred Ridley opening the door for Cabrera to play the Masters again should he successfully obtain a visa to enter the United States.

But before that potentially happens, the Argentine is hoping to make a living through golf once again. He has already competed at the Coast Open in his native country just before Christmas, and despite not playing golf for almost three years due to his incarceration, Cabrera secured a T10 finish at Abierto del Litoral - a tournament that has historically been a fixture on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica Developmental Series.

And in the South Open last month, which also took place in Argentina and featured several current and former Korn Ferry Tour members, Cabrera recorded an extraordinary third-place result.

Now, the 2009 Masters champion and 2007 US Open champion is preparing to take on a whole new level of competition in the Trophy Hassan II on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

Up against household names such as Miguel Angel Jimenez, Chris DiMarco, Colin Montgomerie, and John Daly, Cabrera's mettle will be tested at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Morocco between February 22-24.

This year's tournament - which has a total prize purse of $2 million - will be the third running on the PGA Tour Champions following Brett Quigley's win in 2020 and Stephen Ames' victory in 2023.

And once 'El Pato (The Duck)' has finished in Rabat, Handicap 54 reported on X that Cabrera will return to his native country in order to compete at the Visa Argentina Open the following week (Feb 29-Mar 3) - an event which offers a place at The Open Championship to the winner.

Cabrera has not competed at The Open since 2014, when he managed a T19 result, but may fancy his chances of returning to UK shores given he has won the Argentina Open three times previously (2001, 2002, 2012).