Eugenio Chacarra Wins India Championship in Delhi, Seizes Race to Dubai Lead

Eugenio Chacarra claimed the India Championship at Delhi Golf Club on Sunday, closing with a two-putt to seal a wire-to-wire-style dominance and lift the crystal Lotus trophy. The Spaniard finished on 21-under par, two shots clear of New Zealand's Daniel Hillier.

Dressed in orange and black, and sporting stubble, the Madrileno was five strokes ahead of Hillier at one stage before closing out the title. The final standings read: -21 Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra (Esp) 67-67-63-70 ($680,000); -19 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 74-64-64-67; -15 Adrian Meronk (Pol) 67-69-69-68 and Angel Hidalgo (Esp) 68-68-68-69.

A Masterclass in Delhi

The win was built on a stunning nine-under 63 in the third round, completed in the morning after rain had disrupted play on Day 1. For three days Chacarra set his alarm for 3.45 am to accommodate the schedule.

He pointed to a crucial stretch early in the final round as the turning point. “The ninth, 10th and 11th were important. I made three big putts — two pars and one birdie,” he said. “The effort I’ve put into my short game paid off.”

Spectators at Delhi Golf Club had been watching Rory McIlroy make their day, but it was not the six-time Major champion's week. As the applause died down for McIlroy on the 9th, the galleries turned instantly to catch the leader on the 5th, where Chacarra was calmly wiping his iron with a towel.

A Journey Rebuilt

The triumph carries particular weight given the twists in Chacarra's career. A top amateur during his college days at Oklahoma State, he turned professional in 2020 as LIV Golf came calling, and won its Bangkok event in just his fifth start.

His rise was then derailed by a difficult hip injury, and in 2024 he was released by Sergio Garcia's team. All that remained was a promise to make the most of a full season on the Asian Tour, and eventually a shot at USPGA Q-School after completing his one-year ban.

India played a starring role in the turnaround. In 2025, at DLF G&CC, he showed his mettle at the International Series India, an event fuelled by LIV dollars. The same year, at the same venue, he received a sponsor's invite to the Hero Indian Open a month later and earned his full European Tour card. After finishing T2 at the Indian Open, he won the national opens in the Netherlands and Italy in June.

Eyes on the Ryder Cup

Chacarra has now played 28 tournaments this season, and the winning points in Delhi have taken him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings. Among his ambitions is a place on the Ryder Cup team next year.

Team Europe captain Luke Donald was present to witness the win and offered words of encouragement. “Top of the list, just keep at it,” Donald said.

Chacarra's celebrations also carried a deeper, more personal edge — bound up with the loss of his grandfather, the pain of playing through a broken toe, and the growing realisation that he can beat the best even without his A-game.

Fleetwood, McIlroy and the Rest of the Field

Further down the leaderboard, Tommy Fleetwood finished T5 on 13-under, while Aaron Rai was T20 on nine-under. Patrick Reed ended T23 on eight-under. Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose both finished T42 on four-under.