De Vicenzo takes delight in Cabrera's triumph
MIAMI: Former British Open champion Roberto de Vicenzo has paid tribute to Angel Cabrera's US Open victory and expressed his delight that a fellow Argentine has won a major during his lifetime.
"It's fantastic," the 84-year-old de Vicenzo told the PGA Tour in an interview. "Cabrera is now a hero in Argentina. He's my hero! I'm very happy for him because I didn't want to leave this world before I saw something like this.
"It was very good for our country. He beat the best players in the world, including Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk."
Long-hitting Cabrera claimed his maiden PGA Tour title by holding off world number one Woods and third-ranked Furyk at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday.
The only player to shoot two sub-par scores last week on one of golf's toughest layouts, Cabrera followed in de Vicenzo's footsteps to become the second South American to win a major title.
De Vicenzo also triumphed at the expense of the world's leading player, beating Jack Nicklaus by two shots to clinch the 1967 British Open at Hoylake.
Biggest difference
"The biggest difference is that when Angel won the US Open, many more people saw it on television," de Vicenzo said.
"When I won the British Open 40 years ago, not as many saw it. Millions saw Cabrera win.
"The golf courses were also different. Oakmont is a fantastic golf course and very difficult. It's not so easy to make a good score there."
De Vicenzo, who watched all four rounds of last week's Oakmont tournament on television, said he did not know Cabrera particularly well.
"We've talked several times over the years but I don't see him regularly," he said. He lives too far from my home. He's also a young fellow.
"I'm 84 and he's 37. I don't see him much because usually he's either in Europe or the United States playing."
A five-times winner on the PGA Tour, de Vicenzo was among the first of the globe-trotting professionals and registered more than 100 international victories during a glittering career.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/21/2007 page19)
