Thread Tools

Display Modes

**truebluefan** · 02-18-2008, 12:12 AM

Discuss in here.

**truebluefan** · 03-28-2008, 11:30 AM

Nine months ago, Angel Cabrera brought his home town to a standstill as a victory parade swept through the streets in celebration of his US Open Championship triumph, and Cordoba’s favourite son can expect another hero’s welcome when he tees up in this week’s Abierto del Centro at Cordoba Golf Club on the European Challenge Tour.

Cabrera’s US Open victory at Oakmont last June, the first Major Championship success by an Argentine golfer since Roberto de Vicenzo’s win in The Open 40 years earlier, was the highlight of a stunning year for Argentine golf which also saw Ariel Canete, Andres Romero and Daniel Vancsik step onto the winner’s podium on The European Tour.

Two days after the US Open, hundreds of people lined the streets in Cordoba as a motorcade took the new national hero from the airport to his home, with Cabrera, draped in the Argentine flag, holding the US Open trophy aloft through the sunroof of the station wagon. The Governor of Cordoba was among those who welcomed his arrival, along with representatives of the President of Argentina.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 03-28-2008, 11:32 AM

Defending champion, Angel Cabrera, fulfilled the expectations of his hometown supporters by carding a bogey free four under par 67 for a three-way share of the lead in the 77th Abierto Visa del Centro at Cordoba Golf Club.

The first official event of the 2008 Tour de las Americas, co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour, saw the US Open Champion make a flying start on a day of several rain delays, which meant the first round could not be completed before darkness fell.

Holding the clubhouse lead along with Cabrera are Sweden’s Christopher Hanell and England’s David Horsey. The European duo of Taco Remkes of The Netherlands and Gary Boyd of England join them at four under par and still holding a chance to move ahead of the leading trio when play resumes later today.

Although a large part of the field did not finish due to the problems, 39 year old Cabrera encountered no difficulties either on or off the course. Having won the 74th, 75th and 76th editions of the event, the local hero not unreasonably started a warm favourite - and showed exactly why.

He began his bid for a four-timer by birdieing the fourth, sixth, 12th and 13th holes and negotiated his home course without dropping a shot.

Hanell, a previous winner in Madeira on The European Tour, picked up five birdies but dropped a shot at the 11th as he joined Cabrera on 67. Horsey, a former English Amateur finalist, made the most impressive start to the first round with three straight birdies and he picked up three more over the next 15 holes. However two bogeys prevented him from overtaking Cabrera and Hanell at the top.

**truebluefan** · 03-28-2008, 11:34 AM

Argentina’s Daniel Altamirano grabbed the limelight ahead of his illustrious compatriot Angel Cabrera to lead at the end of the weather affected first round of the 77th Abierto Visa del Centro presentado por Personal at Cordoba Golf Club.

Altamirano was one of the 72 players who had to return on Friday morning to complete his first round after heavy rain had brought Thursday’s play to a halt and he did so in style with birdies at both the 17th and the 18th holes for a six under par 65.

It gave him a one shot lead over another player who had to return to finish off, Taco Remkes of the Netherlands, while Cabrera – bidding to win the title for the fourth year in a row – was one of five players in a share of third place after opening 67s.

Having won the 74th, 75th and 76th editions of the event – the first official event of the 2008 Tour de las Americas, and co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour – the local hero not unreasonably started a warm favourite - and showed exactly why.

The reigning US Open Champion began his bid for a four-timer by birdieing the fourth, sixth, 12th and 13th holes and negotiated his home course without dropping a shot.

Alongside Cabrera are Sweden’s Christopher Hanell, Paraguay’s Raul Fretes, and the English duo of Gary Boyd and David Horsey.

**truebluefan** · 03-29-2008, 11:08 AM

Unheralded Argentine Daniel Altamirano upstaged the big names, including reigning US Open Champion Angel Cabrera, to grab the lead at the halfway stage of the Abierto Visa del Centro tournament on the European Challenge Tour.

Altamarino, a 29 year old professional from the province of Entre Rios, added a second round 71 to his opening 65 in the rain-affected tournament at Cordoba Golf Club for a six under par total of 136 and a one shot lead over Dutchman Taco Remkes who also carded a second round 71 for 137.

Five players shared third place on four under par 138 including former European Ryder Cup man Joakim Haeggman of Sweden while Cabrera, bidding to win the title for the fourth year in a row, was a further two shots adrift on two under par 140 – and four behind Altamarino – after an error strewn second round 73.

Leader Altamarino admitted he found it a struggle to cope with the elements which have affected the tournament – the first official event of the 2008 Tour de las Americas and one which is co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour – over the first two days.

“On both days I have played steadily enough and in the second round I only made two errors which I paid for with bogeys on the 15th and on the 18th,” he said. “On the past I went past the flag with my approach and found myself in a small gully which was very tough.

“When the rains came down the course became very heavy which made it a lot longer too. It is very distracting because you have to start using rain gear such as umbrellas and waterproofs and it can get quite uncomfortable. Perhaps without that I could have made a better score but I am happy to be in the lead.”

Second placed Remkes was two over par for his round with three holes to play, but the 23 year old former Dutch amateur international finished strongly with birdies at the seventh and eighth holes to ensure his prominence at the top end of the leaderboard.

Local Cordoba hero Cabrera, who will defend his US Open crown at Torrey Pines in California in June, understandably took the majority of the crowd with him but admitted he had found the going tougher than in his opening 67.

“It was a very hard day,” he said. “I got off to a bad start with a double bogey six on the first and then also bogeyed three holes in a row from the fifth. But after that I relaxed a bit and got more comfortable on the course and the truth is that I actually finished well.

“When we were left with only two in the group (after Marco Ruiz withdrew through illness) it didn’t help the rhythm of the round. But it is not too bad. After starting like I did, I could have finished a lot worse.”

**truebluefan** · 03-30-2008, 01:18 PM

An assured touch on the putting surfaces of Cordoba Golf Club helped Dutchman Taco Remke take a two shot lead into the final round of the 77th Abierto Visa del Centro presentado por Personal on the European Challenge Tour.

The 23 year old from Amsterdam showed he was more than acclimatised to conditions on his first visit to Argentina, posting an excellent third round 67 for a nine under par total of 204 to open a gap between himself and his nearest challengers; the Argentine duo of Estanislao Goya and Carlos Cardeza.

Remke – a winner of Satellite EPD Tour events in Germany and Poland last season – started the third round in second place and, aside from dropping a shot at the opening hole, he was flawless as he powered to pole position.

The mistake at the first was immediately eradicated at the second with birdie while another birdie at the short fourth saw him to the turn under par. His forward momentum continued with further birdies at the 11th, 12th and 15th on the back nine and he admitted he was more than pleased with his day’s work.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 03-31-2008, 10:42 AM

Estanislao Goya went one better than fellow 19 year old Oliver Fisher earlier in the day when he triumphed in a play-off, beating England’s Gary Boyd to win the Abierto Visa del Centro presentado por Personal on the European Challenge Tour.

Fisher lost at the first extra hole to Thomas Levet on The European Tour but Goya ensured there would be no repeat of that at Cordoba Golf Club, a birdie three doing the needful at the first extra hole for the Argentine to give him the €20,716 (£16,140) first prize and a move to third on the Challenge Tour Rankings.

Both players had stormed home to finish the regulation 72 holes on 12 under par 272, Goya carding four birdies in the last seven holes for a 66 while Boyd went even better with six birdies in his last eight holes for a 65.

Complete article