January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Cabrera is PGA Champ
The big-hitting Argentine, whose monster driving drew stunned gasps from the thousands that lined the Mid Ocean fairways over the course of the two-day tournament, looked an unlikely champion when he shanked his first shot of the day into the bushes for a horrendous triple bogey.
At that point he was four shots behind overnight leader Harrington, who birdied the first. A Cabrera victory looked even less likely going into hole 17 with the Irishman still two in-front.
But a birdie on 17 and a near perfect eagle on the 18th forced a play-off, which he won after a nail-biting three holes of sudden death golf.
The ebullient South American was presented with a pink jacket by Premier Dr Ewart Brown after his victory on the 18th green - a Bermuda version of the famous green jacket that is presented to the U.S. Masters winner every year.
It was a nice touch to finish a tournament that had everything a first class sporting event could ask: Nerve jangling drama, superb shot making and a stunning course that showed Bermuda at its best.
And, despite the drama over Tiger's no-show, the amiable Argentine won over the crowd with what his competitor Zach Johnson referred to as his 'stupid-long' driving.
Despite the improbable nature of his comeback Cabrera claimed: "I'm never surprised about winning, because that's what I work for. I do this for a living."
As well as the huge trophy and pink jacket Cabrera picks up a cool $600,000 for his victory.
Harrington had to settle for $300,000 after seeing the lead he had held since hole five on day one extinguished on the final green. Both men finished on four-under par, Cabrera shooting 68 and Harrington 69 on the day.
He matched Cabrera putt for putt for the first two holes of the play-off but found the sand with his tee shot on the third (a re-run of the 18th) - an error which cost him the tournament.
The British Open champion admitted he was extremely disappointed.
"I was really struggling with my swing. I worked hard to keep myself in there... I was beaten by a birdie and an eagle. Obviously a great finish by Angel, I suppose that's about it."
Cabrera started the day one shot behind Harrington, but after his nightmare on the first, and more dodgy putting on the second he was two-over-par, five shots off the lead and seemingly out of contention.
But he clawed his way back with birdies on 6,7,10, and an eagle on 11. He stuttered again with bogies at 12 and 16 but his grandstand finish - a birdie on 17 and another eagle on 18 - forced the play-off.
Ultimately it was another monster drive on the third play-off hole that helped him see off the Irish challenge.
But Harrington was as a beaten man after the man they call 'El Pato' - the duck - wrested the advantage from him with that eagle on the final hole of ordinary play.
Cabrera said: "On the 18th hole, a perfect drive and a perfect 3-iron, I think the best two shots of the tournament for sure."
"It was an exhibition but I always like to win every time I play and I wouldn't have liked to come second here."
Cabrera admitted he'd made hard work of it on hole one.
"On the first hole, the driver, I think I was aiming the wrong way. The only thing I can say is it was complicated after that."
But it was his trust in his driver that helped him triumph in the end and he insisted he had not been tempted to take a more cautious approach, preferring to play to the gallery.
"Well, I trust my driver very much and I thought it would be nice to show off a bit and to show everybody how nice and how hot I hit my driver."
Jim Furyk, Tiger's replacement and easily the biggest name in the field, was reduced to a bit-part player. He briefly flexed his muscled with a superb chip in from the bunker to birdie the 11th. But he was never truly in contention despite a late rally which saw him finish two shots adrift of Cabrera and Harrington on two-under.
The surprise package of the day was Zach Johnson who played magnificently, to haul himself right into contention.
Johnson who was four-over after five holes on day one, birdied four of the last 10 holes to move level with Cabrera and within one shot of Harrington going into the 18th hole. At that point he looked the most likely to force a play-off.
But he bogied the last and ended up bottom of the pile on one-under - three shots behind the winner.
He said: "I had a chance coming down the stretch and a couple of times here, a couple of times there, it could have been different.
"But it was great. I enjoyed the week thoroughly and hope to be able to come back."
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