Volvo PGA: Cabrera's angelic round equals course record

Argentina's Angel Cabrera equalled the 10-year-old Wentworth course record with a dazzling 63 at the start of the Volvo PGA championship today.

Fri, 25 May, 2001 - 18:14

Argentina's Angel Cabrera equalled the 10-year-old Wentworth course record with a dazzling 63 at the start of the Volvo PGA championship today.

Longest hitter on the European Tour - one drive this morning was measured at 325 yards - Cabrera birdied the last two holes to match the mark of Australian Wayne Riley at the event in 1991.

He went to lunch three clear of Irishman Paul McGinley and four clear of England's Steve Webster and Welshman Phillip Price, who still had five to play.

Cabrera, known as "The Duck", had his first tour victory in the Argentine Open last month and then followed it a week later by leading the Masters on the final day before falling to 10th.

He said: "It gives you a lot of confidence and makes you realise you can be fighting with the biggest. But I'm not trying to hit it longer than Tiger or anybody. I'm just trying to improve my game and I'm not interested in how far I hit it. It's natural."

Cabrera, whose massive drive came on the 509-yard 12th and left him with only an eight-iron to the green for his eagle, left school at 11 because his family were so poor and began working as a caddie at a local club in Corboda.

McGinley, who in the past two weeks has jumped from 14th to seventh in the Ryder Cup points table, continued his push for a debut, via a six under par round of 66, with Padraig Harrington cracking a 67, and Damien McGrane of Wexford Golf Club a magnificent four under round of 68.

1 CABRERA, Angel ARG -9 63

2 PRICE, Phillip WAL -7 65

3 MCGINLEY, Paul IRL -6 66

T4 WEBSTER, Steve ENG -5 67

T4 HARRINGTON, Padraig IRL -5 67

T6 BJÖRN, Thomas DEN -4 68

T6 COLTART, Andrew SCO -4 68

T6 HAEGGMAN, Joakim SWE -4 68

T6 MCGRANE, Damian IRL -4 68

T6 DYSON, Simon ENG -4 68

T6 LUNDBERG, Mikael SWE -4 16

T6 AHERN, Nick ZIM -4 15