Angel Cabrera, a two-time grand winner, was arrested in Brazil

SAO PAULO – Brazilian federal police arrested Argentine golfer Angel Cabrera on Thursday for extradition to his home country on charges of multiple crimes allegedly committed between 2016 and last year.

Cabrera, a past winner of both the Masters and the US Open, was on Interpol’s red code list. Police said in a statement that the arrest took place in an upper-class area of ​​Rio de Janeiro without disclosing the suspect’s name. It just described him as a 51 year old Argentinian.

Two Rio-based federal police officers separately confirmed to The Associated Press that Cabrera was the arrested man. Both agreed not to give the information unless they were granted anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The police statement said the arrest was approved by the Brazilian Supreme Court and that the man is being held pending extradition to Argentina. Officials in Argentina have charged the suspect with assault, theft, illegal intimidation and repeated disregard for the authorities.

Argentine media reported in early January that Cabrera’s former wife, Silvia Rivadero, had filed two charges against the golfer. The reports also say that another former partner, Cecilia Torres, alleged that Cabrera beat her, threatened her and tried to run her over with his car in 2016.

Cabrera is the most accomplished golfer from South America. He won the US Open in Oakmont in 2007 with a shot against Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. He won the Masters in a playoff in 2009 and lost to Adam Scott in a playoff at the Masters in 2013.

Cabrera has another PGA Tour win, and his four European Tour wins include the biggest event, the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth.

He wasn’t playing in the Masters when it was postponed to November last November for left wrist surgery. Cabrera played five times in August and September on the PGA Tour Champions racetrack for players aged 50 and over.