Golf pushes out soccer for Argentina’s interest

For one day at least, Angel Cabrera grabbed front-page headlines.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — No longer just a soccer power, the playing field is getting more crowded all the time in Argentina.

First it was Manu Ginobili and his third NBA crown splashed across the front pages. Now it’s golfer Angel Cabrera winning the U.S. Open.

Cabrera’s one-stroke victory over Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk on Sunday drew endless praise around Argentina as radio commentators and television reveled in the first Latin American to win the U.S. Open.

“An historic day for Argentine golf” blared the front-page headline in South America’s biggest-circulation daily, Clarin.

Another Argentine daily, La Nacion, declared, “Cabrera: another Argentine for the history books of golf.”

And on Monday, video of Cabrera’s weekend triumph was replayed constantly, showing Cabrera grinning and grabbing his trophy as Woods stood in the background on the fairways at Oakmont Country Club.

Top billing

The coverage pushed aside the conclusion of the Argentine soccer season Sunday, and the upcoming second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors and Brazilian rival Gremio.

These days, the exploits of Cabrera and Ginobili have overshadowed the usual drumbeat of soccer.

Ole, the sports daily normally devoted almost entirely to soccer, featured a front-page photo Monday of Cabrera bear-hugging his U.S. Open trophy — calling him the “monster of golf.”

Marcelo Nogueira, a top editor at Ole, said the Cabrera and Ginobili victories are refreshing in a soccer-mad nation.

“Bearing in mind this is a country where soccer is clearly the No. 1 sport ... it opens up people’s eyes a little bit to the fact that there are other Argentine sports stars out there,” he said.

Diario Popular, another Argentine daily, called Cabrera the “angel of golf” in a play on his first name and noted his victory was a “triumph for Argentine sports.”

But some people like Buenos Aires police officer Gustavo Ledesma said that while golf and NBA victories are fantastic, soccer is what holds the passion of the country.

He said the country is anxiously awaiting the Boca Juniors-Gremio matchup Wednesday.

Involving one of Argentina’s two most popular teams, the match in Brazil is expected to bring the country to a standstill for two hours as millions watch on television.

“It’s great,” Ledesma said characterizing the triumphs of Ginobili and Cabrera. “But we Argentines, we’re fans of soccer.”