Eugenio Chacarra claimed victory at the DP World India Championship, finishing two shots ahead of his competitors. This win marks the Spanish golfer’s third triumph of the season and has propelled him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings, surpassing Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy with just three events remaining in the season.
Chacarra shot a two-under-par 70 in New Delhi, bringing his total score to an impressive 21 under for the tournament. This win adds to his earlier successes, including back-to-back titles at the KLM Open in Amsterdam and the Italian Open in Turin, making this his fourth title on the DP World Tour.
Entering the final round with a five-shot lead, thanks to a standout nine-under 63 in the third round, Chacarra started strong by making birdies on his first two holes. However, he faced a setback with a bogey on the sixth hole. After making crucial par putts and another birdie on the 11th hole, he maintained his lead despite some pressure from Australia’s Daniel Hillier and others.
Hillier, who finished at 19 under, made things interesting by birdieing the last hole, cutting Chacarra’s lead to two shots with three holes left. Chacarra remained steady and concluded the event with a total of 4,092.89 points in the Race to Dubai standings. At just 26 years old, he has overtaken Reed, marking the first time Reed has lost his top spot in five months.
Chacarra has the chance to become the third Spaniard to win the title of Europe’s top golfer, following in the footsteps of Jon Rahm and the legendary Seve Ballesteros.
In his post-victory remarks, Chacarra expressed his ambition, saying, “I know what I’m capable of. I was one of the best amateurs in the world, and I aim to be one of the best professional players too.” He added that winning the Race to Dubai would mean a lot to him, considering Rahm and Seve as his heroes.
Chacarra is also eyeing a place on the 2027 Ryder Cup team, stating, “I want to be on the team, not as a pick but as one of the automatic six spots.” He remains focused on improving his game and continuing his winning streak.
In contrast, Reed and McIlroy had challenging outings at the tournament, finishing tied for 23rd and 42nd, respectively. Reed ended with a score of eight under, while McIlroy recorded four under. Both are still prominent contenders for the Race to Dubai title, alongside Casey Jarvis and Aaron Rai, as the tour moves forward.
The schedule will see the tour shift to the United Arab Emirates for the remaining two events, starting with the Abu Dhabi Championship on November 5, followed by the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. McIlroy, who is looking to match Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight titles, acknowledged his need for improvement and preparation ahead of the final tournaments.
Chacarra, now in pole position for the Harry Vardon Trophy, is aware of the competition ahead and said, “Rory always plays well in Dubai, so it will be a big battle. Patrick, too—two of the best players in the world are coming for me.”
While awaiting the next stage of the tour, the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship in South Korea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event starting early Thursday morning.
