Cabrera-Bello is back where he rediscovered the joy of golf. Back where he proved to everyone, above all to himself, that he has the game to compete and contend for titles. “My game isn’t as far off as my results suggest”, the Canary Islander declared after posting a stunning number on Friday last year. His campaign would end in victory after a thrilling playoff with Adri Arnaus.
He teed off on Sunday with a two-shot lead and, for a golfer going through a confidence crisis, he could not have made a worse start. Having split the fairway with his drive, he ended the hole with a double bogie. With 17 holes to go and plenty of demons to fend off, his day could have been disastrous. But, in a demonstration of his tremendous strength of mind, Rafa fought back. His now-iconic celebration said it all. The Canary Islander passionately punched the Madrid sky on the 18th green of Club de Campo Villa de Madrid and all the anger, the frustration and the torment was washed away.
It shouldn’t be forgotten that the Spaniard once reached No. 16 in the world, he has made 99 cuts and recorded 15 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. Cabrera has rubbed elbows with the best in the world and held his own amongst them for months. Add to that four titles on the DP World Tour. His class is not in doubt, he is simply waiting for everything to come together again, just like it did last year.
Rafa is still searching for his A-game, and where better to find it than the ACCIONA Open de España presented by Madrid? He also has the local fans well and truly behind him; last year he said he had goosebumps during the last two rounds. Since then he has posted two impressive results in the Rolex Series: the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (T2) and the BMW PGA Championship (T9).
Every time he makes an appearance in Madrid, he says the same thing: “I really love this course, it fits my game like a glove”. Keep your eyes on the Canary Islander, he may just find that magic again this year.
