'Angel Has Served The Sentence That Was Prescribed...He Is The Past Champion, And So He Was Invited' - Augusta Chairman Fred Ridley Explains Cabrera Return

Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley defended the decision to allow Angel Cabrera back into The Masters following his spell in prison.

The 2009 Green Jacket winner was jailed for two-and-a-half years for domestic abuse, and his Masters return has been criticized by women's rights groups among others.

After being found guilty of a number of charges of assault and illegal intimidation against different women, the 55-year-old Argentinian voiced his desire to return to The Masters upon his release from the minimum security Monte Cristo prison in 2023.

And Augusta National chairman Ridley always seemed likely to allow Cabrera to return, saying last year that "one of our great champions" would be welcomed back as long as he could get a visa to play in the United States.

So when Cabrera did resolve his visa issues, he was then handed an invitation to play, as is every past champion at Augusta National.

Ridley issued a short response when asked about the criticism of Cabrera's return, saying that he has served his time and should be allowed back as a past champion.

"Well, we certainly abhor domestic violence of any type," said Ridley. "As it relates to Angel, Angel has served the sentence that was prescribed by the Argentine courts, and he is the past champion, and so he was invited."

Cabrera warmed up for his Augusta return with victory at the PGA Tour Champions' James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in Boca Raton, Florida.

For his part, Cabrera did express remorse in his Masters press conference, saying "obviously I regret things that happened and you learn from them" but also defended his right to play.

"I won the Masters, why not?" added Cabrera. "I respect their opinion and everybody has their own opinion and I respect that.

"Life has given me another opportunity, I got to take advantage of that and I want to do the right things in this second opportunity.

"I'm very grateful and obviously the people of the golf world are very great with me and I just appreciated the way they treated me."