Cabrera's 'run on the banks' leads him to Spain for Castello Masters

CASTELLON, Spain (PA) -- Masters champion Angel Cabrera is in the enviable position of being able to play as badly as he wants these days -- and still earn a fortune.

Cabrera was in Bermuda Tuesday and Wednesday for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, where even if he had finished last, he would have earned $200,000. In fact, he finished second to U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and picked up $300,000.

Next week he is at the Volvo World Match Play, and even if he loses all three of his early matches and fails to advance to the semifinals, he will walk away with nearly $180,000.

Such are the riches on offer to those at the top of the golfing tree. But that has not stopped Cabrera taking an overnight flight across the Atlantic so that he can also compete at the Castello Masters starting on Thursday.

And there he will actually have to play well if he wants to collect more big bucks on the weekend.

The draw has been kind to the 40-year-old from Argentina. He is among the later starters and can therefore catch up on some sleep first.

Assuming he wakes up in time and can find his way to the tee, Cabrera will be playing with Martin Kaymer on his return from two months out injured.

The 24-year-old German broke several toes in a go-kart crash in Arizona, and during his layoff has dropped from first to third on the European Tour money list.

With new leader Lee Westwood and second-placed Rory McIlroy both resting before next week's world Match Play in Marbella, Kaymer actually has the chance to go back to the top on Sunday. But he would have to win the $500,000 first prize for that, and is not raising people's expectations.

"My foot has healed well and the doctor has told me that I am fit to play, to put pressure on the foot and play normally," said Kaymer. "Obviously this is my first tournament back, so I do not know exactly how I am going to feel after 72 holes, but I think that it will be all right.

"Hopefully I can get back to the form that I was in before the accident," he added. "But I have to be patient and make sure that I am confident that my foot is 100 percent this week."

Tournament host Sergio Garcia is also the defending champion on his home course, and in a year in which he is still searching for a top-3 finish, it would be a major surprise if he fails to achieve it this week.

He plays with 2006 Ryder Cup teammates Darren Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal in the first two rounds, while opposing Vivendi Trophy captains Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn are playing partners as well, and so are Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie and Robert Karlsson.

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