Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra barged his way to the top of the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings courtesy of his third win of a remarkable season which came at the DP World India Championship.
Chacarra finished a marathon day, in which he completed 25 holes at Delhi Golf Club, two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard on 21 under par after posting a closing 70.
The Spaniard’s bid to win the Race to Dubai crown looked to have suffered a blow when he recently fractured a toe, but he did not let that affect him as he fought off strong opposition from a stellar chasing pack on Sunday to overtake long-time leader Patrick Reed in the standings.
After tasting victory at both the KLM Open and Italian Open in June, Chacarra now has three DP World Tour wins to his name in 2026 and four in all after last season’s Hero Indian Open triumph at nearby DLF Golf & Country Club.
New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier finished alone in second on 19 under as a brilliant charge on the back nine gave Chacarra a scare, cutting what had once been a six-shot lead down to two late on to pile on the pressure – but Chacarra was equal to the challenge.
Five-shot lead
Chacarra went into the fourth round with a five-shot lead after signing for a 63 when the third round was finally completed on Sunday morning following a weather-disrupted start to the tournament.
And the 26-year-old from Madrid kept his foot on the gas as he began his final round, kicking things off with a birdie at the first before holing from 17 feet at the third to move six shots clear of the chasing pack.
Chacarra’s first bogey of the day came at the sixth as his par putt horseshoed out but he took a four-shot lead into the back nine after making an outstanding par save on the ninth to keep playing partner Angel Hidalgo at bay as a match play situation developed.
He repeated the trick on the tenth, saving par from 20 feet to pile the pressure on Hidalgo’s birdie putt, which he was unable to make – keeping Chacarra four clear on 20 under.
And he converted that momentum into a birdie at the 11th, which came courtesy of a 17-foot putt. He safely parred the next two holes before narrowly missing his 13-foot birdie try at the 14th to sit three ahead of a charging Hillier with four holes remaining.
Chasing pack closes in
And with Hillier birdieing the 18th up ahead to cut Chacarra’s lead to two strokes, the Spaniard chose a great time to produce a sensational recovery shot at the 16th to somehow save par, having found trouble off the tee. After parring the 17th, Chacarra finished his round with a par to secure a two-shot victory.
Understandably not short on confidence after his breakthrough season, Chacarra said: “I know what I’m capable of. I was one of the best amateurs in the world and I now want to be one of the best professional players in the world. I work really hard and I’ve got a great team around me. They’re always trying to make me better. I think we been doing a great job and obviously it’s paying off.”
He added: “I told Luke (Donald) the other day that I want to be on the Ryder Cup team next year, but not just as a captain’s pick. I want to be in one of the six automatic spots. So that’s one of the goals I have and I’m working really hard for it. We are still a year away, but I know what I’m capable of. I know I’m a good player, and I just want to keep getting better and keep winning.”
Following in Seve’s footsteps
Asked about his chances of winning the Race to Dubai, he added: “It would mean the world to become the third Spanish winner of the Race to Dubai. Seve and Jon [Rahm] are heroes for me as a Spanish golfer. Seve did everything for European and Spanish golf, and then Jon, he’s a guy that I’ve been looking up to since he went to college and professional golf. What he has accomplished, it’s amazing. Hopefully I can put my name on that trophy, too.
“I know it’s not going to be easy. Rory always plays well in Dubai, and I know it’s going to be a big battle. Patrick [Reed], too. Two of the best players in the world coming for me now, and I know they’re not going to make it easy.”
Reed and McIlroy off the pace
Reed had led the way in the European ranking since March after early-season victories in Qatar and Dubai, but he has been overhauled with just three events remaining before the winner is crowned next month.
A final-round 69 in Delhi meant the American finished on eight under and in a tie for 23rd, while McIlroy was four shots further back with his disappointing weekend only good enough for a share of 42nd. The 37-year-old from Northern Ireland was playing this event for the second consecutive year and started solidly before a two-over 74 in his concluding round.
For all the scores from the DP World India Championship, click here.