Eugenio Chacarra claimed the India Championship by two strokes on Sunday at Delhi Golf Club, a victory that lifted the 26-year-old Spaniard to the top of the Race to Dubai standings on the DP World Tour. It is his third title of the 2026 season and arrives at the perfect moment, with the season-long race for the European circuit's top prize set to be decided next month.
A Dominant Finish Built Over Four Rounds
Chacarra closed out a weather-delayed third round early Sunday with a 9-under 63, then followed with a steadier 70 to finish at 21-under 267 for the 72-hole tournament. The win comes on the back of a strong run of form that included a third-place finish at the Open de France and a runner-up showing at the Open de España. He had already won twice in June, at the KLM Open and the Italian Open, making this his third title of the campaign.
New Zealand's Daniel Hillier was the only player to stay within five strokes of the champion, carding 64 and 67 over the weekend to finish second. Poland's Adrian Meronk and Spain's Angel Hidalgo tied for third at 15 under after a congested Sunday schedule forced most contenders to complete their third rounds before teeing off again.
Overtaking Reed and McIlroy in the Race to Dubai
The result pushed Chacarra past American Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, into first place in the Race to Dubai. Six-time major winner Rory McIlroy remains the other realistic contender, but neither matched Chacarra's form in Delhi - Reed tied for 23rd at 8 under, while McIlroy finished four shots further back in a tie for 42nd.
"Two of the best players in the world are coming for me now," Chacarra said, "and I know they are not going to make it easy." It is a rivalry that will likely define the closing weeks of the European season, with the Race to Dubai title going to whoever accumulates the most points before the campaign wraps up next month.
A Special Place and an Eye on the Ryder Cup
Delhi has proven fertile ground for Chacarra, who won the Indian Open there in May 2025 on an invitation, a result that secured his full DP World Tour card. He had turned professional in 2022 after finishing No. 2 in the world amateur rankings during his time at Oklahoma State, and competed on the LIV Golf League before building his current European campaign.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald greeted Chacarra behind the 18th green, telling him: "Well done, another win. Top of the list. Keep doing it." With the matches at Adare Manor a year away, Chacarra made his ambitions clear. "I've told Luke I want to be on that team by not just a pick - I wanted to be one of the six automatic spots," he said. "I know I'm a good player, I have a lot of charisma, and I want to keep getting better and keep winning."
Chacarra also acknowledged the physical toll of a tournament disrupted by delays. "It was really tiring waking up three days in a row at 4 a.m.," he said. "It's hard to go in on a big lead. You don't want to push, but there are guys making birdies."
