Angel Cabrera Captures U.S. Open Golf Title Over Woods, Furyk

06/18/2007
By Erik Matuszewsk (Bloomberg)

Angel Cabrera won the U.S. Open by one stroke over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, becoming the only golfer in the tournament to shoot below par twice.

Cabrera's 1-under-par 69 during yesterday's final round left him with a winning score of 5-over at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh.

Only eight of the 436 rounds were under par. Cabrera, who also shot 69 during the first round, became the first golfer from Argentina to win the U.S. Open in its 107-year history.

``It is very difficult to describe this moment,'' Cabrera said through an interpreter after his win. ``Perhaps, when I wake up in the morning with the trophy next to me in my bed, I will realize that I have won the U.S. Open.''

Woods and Furyk, the No. 1 and No. 3 golfers in the world rankings, finished 6-over at the year's second major tournament.

Woods, seeking his 13th win in a major, closed his final round with seven straight pars and missed a long birdie putt on the last hole that would have forced an 18-hole playoff today. Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion, was tied for the lead before a bogey at the 17th hole.

``Angel played a beautiful round of golf,'' Woods said at a news conference. ``He went out there and put all the pressure on Jim and I, and we fell one shot short.''

Cabrera's Victory

Cabrera, 37, received $1.26 million for the victory. His 15 previous titles came outside the U.S. and his best previous finish in a major came at the 1999 British Open, where he tied for fourth after missing a birdie putt on the final hole that would have put him in a playoff.

The only other Argentine to win a major tournament was Roberto De Vicenzo, at the 1967 British Open. Cabrera joins Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen and Ernie Els among the international players who have made the U.S. Open their first U.S. PGA Tour win.

``He's been around a long time,'' England's Paul Casey, who also plays primarily on the European Tour, told reporters. ``He thoroughly deserves this.''

Cabrera made five birdies during the final round at Oakmont, with its 5-inch-high rough, waist-deep bunkers and fast greens. He opened a three-shot advantage on Furyk and Woods yesterday before making bogeys at the 231-yard par-3 16th hole and the 306- yard par-4 17th hole.

Furyk had birdies from the 13th to 15th holes and briefly tied for the lead before a bogey at the short 17th. Furyk, who spent part of his childhood in western Pennsylvania, missed a long birdie attempt from the back of the green at the 18th hole that would have tied him for the lead.

``No one likes consolation prizes,'' said Furyk, who also tied for second at last year's U.S. Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York. ``A second is not that much fun.''

No Birdies

With Cabrera watching on television, Woods, playing in the final group, failed to get the birdie he needed over the final holes to tie for the lead. He finished with a 2-over-par 72 and played his final 14 holes in 1-over.

``Even though at one point I was three back, I felt like, `Hey, just keep hanging in there and you never know what can happen,''' said Woods, who won the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2002. ``I just didn't make a birdie coming in.''

Woods, who was two shots off Aaron Baddeley's lead entering the final round, has yet to win a major tournament in the 29 times he's trailed going into last 18 holes. He has two runner-up finishes in the majors this year, placing second to Zach Johnson at the Masters Tournament in April. ``I've put myself there and haven't gotten it done,'' said Woods.

---

Man Catches 480-lb Blue Marlin in Panama - SPEARFISHING...

12/16/2006 - Archives
By Don Winner (Panama Guide)

A Jupiter man has received instant name recognition in the spearfishing world thanks to a 480-pound catch. Robert Arrington now holds the world record for the largest marlin ever caught with a spear gun.

Arrington's underwater adventure 25 miles of the coast of Panama was captured on videotape.

The 30-year-old is an avid free diver and spear fisherman. He said he jumped in the water to film and what came next left him and the spearfishing world in awe.

"All of a sudden I hear the rush of all the bait coming up," Arrington said. "I tucked my feet and the video down, so I'm looking. The first thing I see is the marlin's tail." Arrington shared his video with the media and described the events. "After the fifth pass, here he comes. You can see I push my gun forward just like I would spear anything else," he said. "I'm looking at this fish going, 'Wow.'" It took four people to hoist in the monster catch. "This is a very special fish," Arrington said.

"I'll remember this the rest of my life. I probably won't spear another one but always remember this one." The marlin was 11 feet long and weighed 480 pounds. It doubled the old blue marlin spearfishing record, which weighed in only at 278 pounds.

---

Big game fishing

06/25/2006 - Archives
By Lynn Rose Tours

From the hot popping action of Isla Montuosa, Ladrones Island, to the super grand slam of Hannibal Banks (Huge Black Marlin, Blues, Striped Marlin, and Sailfish), the consistent quality of Panama's offshore and inshore fishing continues to attract anglers to this special place.

Geographic location, diverse habitat and lack of exploration all play roles in the long standing reputation of Panama as a sport fishing paradise.

Only about 8 degrees above the equator, Panama's warm sea temperatures attract a long list of marine game fish. The warm easterly moving Equatorial Counter Current collides with the cooler, north moving Peru Current along the entire Pacific Coast of Panama. This accounts high nutrient levels; unusually rich up wellings occur when these currents reach the country's numerous islands, bays, narrow land passages and the continental shelf.

This marine resource has not been depleted by over fishing, pollution or coastal development. Most of the Panamanian commercial fleet are hand-liners and small scale gill netters that work with a limited supply of ice. Offshore islands and banks remain relatively undisturbed. Additionally whole regions such as Coiba Island benefit preserve status that outlaws commercial fishing.

The Panamanian government has played a additional role by not issuing and drift permits to foreign vessels. One hopes only this policy will continue. Both coasts remain almost completely undeveloped, and most of the> marine ecosystems remain in a natural state.

---

GO TO TOP OF PAGE

• PANAMA NEWS
• LATIN AMERICA NEWS
• CELEBRITIES MEET PANAMA
• CULTURE AND ARTS
• TOURISM IN PANAMA
• SPORTS

Would you like to receive more information from us regarding Panama Real Estate?