Eugenio Chacarra Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Smith and Bae share halfway clubhouse lead at Hong Kong Open

Clarkwin — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 06:48:26 +0000

Australian star Cam Smith added a four-under-par 66 to his first round 63 today to settle comfortably into a share of the clubhouse lead at the US$2 million Hong Kong Open with Korean Sangmoon Bae.

The pair lead on 11-under-par here at the Hong Kong Golf Club, with Bae recording a 63, after the morning session was completed.

American Micah Laurent Shin (63), Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (64) and Harrison Crowe (65) from Australia are one shot back, in the penultimate leg of this year’s International Series.

Smith admitted he wasn’t quite at his best today despite nailing six birdies with two bogeys.

“It was a lot tougher [today],” said the 2022 Open winner, who made three birdies on the trot from the first.

Sangmoon Bae. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“Early alarm this morning, body wasn’t quite working. But you know, it was alright, it was a little bit scrappy, to be honest. It was good to get out of there with three or four under there.”

His two round total is already three shots better than when he finished ninth here in 2014, the only other time he has played in the event.

He added: “I’d like to think that I improve every year. You know, that was a long time ago, I probably didn’t hit the ball as far, and I probably didn’t do anything as good as what I’m doing at the moment. So yeah, completely different scenario and hopefully I can keep improving.”

Bae, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, registered an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys.

Said the Korean, who is making his first appearance here since 2007: “It was a really good round, I mean I started with bogey on my first hole, it was a little disappointing but after that I tried to really focus on my game, and it came back.”

“I really liked this course; this is a really tricky rough and the greens are really fast. So really, you need to hit the right spots from the second shot, so it’s more of an iron shot course and I really like it.”

His fine start to the tournament has ratified his decision to be here this week.

“I was in the field in Bermuda on the PGA Tour this week, but I made a decision to play in China, here, and maybe Indonesia next week, so I think it was a really good decision,” he said.

“And, you know, I’m trying to find my game, and so far it’s really good. I mean, the putting is good, iron shots are good so I’m really excited to play on the weekend.”

His compatriot Yubin Jang carded a 67 and is in sixth place on nine under.

Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho looked to be heading for an early exit but birdied his last two holes to shoot a 68 and move to two under for the event, which should see him through to the weekend.

He said: “Pretty rough first few holes I would say. Didn’t quite pick the right shots at the right times. And made some poor swings so that compounded errors.

Sadom Kaewkanjana. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“But I am really happy I was able to stay in the present at all times. I was quite far out of the tournament, but I stayed disciplined to my game plan. I was really happy to finish mentally strong.”

Main image: Asian Tour

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Confident Chacarra on the charge at Hong Kong Open

Clarkwin — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 09:48:47 +0000

Spanish star Eugenio Chacarra summed up just how well he is playing after taking the clubhouse lead today in the US$2 million Hong Kong Open, with a first-round seven-under-par 63: “I was in contention to win my last two LIV Golf events and I was in contention last week and obviously I won St Andrews [the St Andrews Bay Championship on the Asian Tour in August].”

It’s a statement of intent from one of the game’s most exciting young golfers here at the magnificent Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC), Fanling, where he leads from four players who shot 65, after the morning session: American Andy Ogletree, Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, Taehee Lee from Korea and Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po.

“Hard not to be happy with the round and seven under,” added the strapping 23-year-old, who was the halfway leader at last week’s Volvo China Open before surprisingly slipping back at the weekend, finishing fourth.

Andy Ogletree. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I think I have been playing well the last couple months and a half. The game has been there, especially since last week in China. I didn’t feel well after my round on Saturday, after dinner there, and didn’t have a great final day.”

He was bogey-free on the HKGC’s Composite Course in his debut appearance here – in an event that is the penultimate leg of The International Series, with just the BNI Indonesian Masters remaining next week.

He began on 10 and did not hold back making five birdies in his first six, before adding two more on the back.

He added: “This is a course I like a lot. It fits my eye pretty well and reminds me of the course I grew up on. I am excited for the week. It’s just getting better every day.

“It’s a great golf course, it’s tricky and you need to hit the fairways. It came into my eyes the first round I played it. I love it. Hopefully I can come back a lot of years, I am excited for what’s next. Like my coach said you can lose a tournament in the first round, but you can’t win it. We have a long three days left. It’s a matter of keep getting better.”

Ogletree will wrap up The International Series Order of Merit (OOM) by making the cut this week and take a step closer to claiming the Asian Tour OOM, with four events remaining.

“I’m not too worried about making cuts,” said the winner of this year’s International Series events in Qatar and England.

“I’m trying to win a golf tournament and I’ve always said that good golf takes care of everything and that’s what I’m trying to do this week so just trying to focus on the short term and not what’s going on outside of this week but it’s obviously a great position to be in and I’m super thankful to have the lead on The International Series Order of Merit.”

He made nine birdies but also one double and two bogeys.

Phachara Khongwatmai. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He added: “The golf course is in great shape, I think there’s a couple spots on the fairways that are a little messed up due to the typhoons that they’ve had but they’ve done a really good job of getting it ready for play this week and I think the greens are some of the purest greens that we’ve played in a long time so you can definitely make a lot of birdies out there and I think the golf course is really good.”

In with 66s are China’s Chen Guxin, who impressively tied for second in the Volvo China Open, Filipino Angelo Que, Kiwi Ben Campbell, Spain’s David Puig, Australian Andrew Dodt, Korean Yeongsu Kim, Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu and Thailand’s Pawin Ingkhapradit.

Main image: Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

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LIV Golf showdown as Chacarra beats Jones in epic play-off at inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 05:19:44 +0000

The Asian Tour made history on Sunday with its longest ever sudden-death play-off, when young LIV Golf star Eugenio Chacarra defeated Aussie veteran Matt Jones on the 10th extra hole at the inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship.

Chacarra made a par on the par-five 18th, two putting from 30 feet, while Jones, 20 years his senior, missed a five-footer for a five at Fairmont St Andrews — after one of the most exciting ever finishes on the Asian Tour.

Both players had birdied the final hole in normal time to finish tied on 19-under, with Chacarra carding a five-under-par 67 and Jones a 69.

Australian Andrew Dodt (68) and Jaco Ahlers (69) from South African finished one stroke short of the play-off.

Chile’s Mito Pereira and Gaganjeet Bhullar from India both returned 70s, and were another shot back.

The previous longest play-off took place at the 2001 SK Telecom Open in Korea, when local player Charlie Wi triumphed after seven holes against countryman Kang Wook-soon and Simon Yates from Scotland.

Epic @asiantourgolf playoff ends on 10th playoff hole with @Eugeniochacarra winning #SABC over Matt Jones for his 2nd pro victory

2 hours, 8 minutes to complete the playoff

How Chacarra fared on each playoff hole

Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Birdie
Par
Par
Birdie
Par
Par pic.twitter.com/cv9VSpGfZ9

— Mike McAllister (@thegolfeditor) August 27, 2023

“It was a long day,” said Chacarra. “Happy it came out my way, but I mean, Matt had a tremendous day as well. Tremendous 10 holes, I think we all know he’s a great player. Thank you very much it came out my way but I’m sure Matt will win a lot of more events.

“It was amazing, I think the Asian Tour is doing amazing things. I mean, they’re growing the game of golf and I had a lot of fun. We normally don’t get these good days in Scotland, so it was awesome. I mean, obviously I got the win so it would make it a little more fun, but it was awesome. Yeah, thanks to the Asian Tour and International Series for what they’re doing and hopefully we can come back a lot more years.”

Eugenio Chacarra. Asian Tour

This is the 23-year-old’s first 72-hole victory since turning professional last year, while he also claimed the individual title in last year’s LIV Golf Bangkok.

Two-time Australian Open winner Jones, who like Chacarra plays on the LIV Golf League, was looking for his first win since the 2021 Honda Classic on the PGA Tour and felt it was his putting that let him down.

He said: “I threw away a golf tournament with the way I putted during the tournament, and in the play-off. I putted pretty awful all week. I missed a lot of short ones. My speed was terrible, but I hit some nice shots. It is always good to get into contention, but I am done now, I am tired.”

The 43-year-old appeared out of it on the third extra hole but sensationally chipped in from 25 feet to keep his chances alive.

The play-off was just one short of the all-time longest sudden-death play-off: the 1949 Motor City Open, between Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum, which lasted 11 holes before they decided to share the honours.

Overnight-leader Turk Pettit from the United States closed with 74 and tied for eighth on 15-under, along with countryman Andrew Ogletree.

Ogletree helped maintain his dominance of the Asian Tour and International Series rankings after closing with a fine six birdies and no bogeys 65. Unlike this week, he was the runaway winner last week at the International Series England, where he triumphed by seven.

The St Andrews Bay Championship concludes the Asian Tour’s ‘UK Summer Swing’. The Tour heads to Korea next for the Shinhan Donghae Open, to be played on the Ocean Course at Club72 from September 7-10 -— one of 11 more events scheduled to complete the season.

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LIV Golf Bangkok champ Eugenio Chacarra eyes more riches at Asian Tour International Series Egypt

Matt Smith — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:21:05 +0000

By GolfDigestME.com
Eugenio Chacarra will add a welcome dash of Spanish sparkle to the International Series Egypt when he makes his Asian Tour debut next month.

One of the brightest talents in the game, Chacarra is still basking in the warm glow of his life-changing maiden professional victory in the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok earlier this month.

In addition to collecting the individual first prize of $4 million, Chacarra pocketed a further $750,000 for being part of the winning team at Bangkok’s Stonehill.

Not a bad week’s work for the 22-year-old who signed up with LIV Golf after turning professional in June.

A former All-American who attended Oklahoma State University and rose to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Chacarra will be one of the star attractions in the first edition of the International Series Egypt at Madinaty Golf Club from November 10-13.

“I am excited about teeing off on the Asian Tour for the first time in my life, I like what the Asian Tour is doing, it’s exciting and hopefully I can do a good job there,” said Chacarra.

Carrying a purse of $1.5 million, the Egypt tournament will be the sixth leg of the Asian Tour’s inaugural International Series which was launched this year thanks to a landmark partnership between the Asian Tour and LIV Golf aimed at invigorating the game in Asia and the Middle East.

The event will be the 18th stop of the season on the Asian Tour’s 2022 schedule.

On the buzz from the players around the International Series, Chacarra added: “Yes, we have heard about these elevated events, and I’m excited, I’m grateful to the Asian Tour for the opportunity to play in this tournament, it is a great opportunity to play in Egypt.

“I have never played there or visited Egypt before so it will be a great experience, hopefully it will be a good week and I will be able to play well, and also see everything that there is over there.”

The event will be preceded by the International Series Morocco the week before at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, from November 3-6.

The International Series Thailand teed-off the new venture in March with American Sihwan Kim emerging triumphant at Hua Hin’s Black Mountain Golf Club.

Zimbabwean Scott Vincent claimed victory in the International Series England in June at Slaley Hall, an event that marked the Asian Tour’s first-ever tournament in the United Kingdom.

In August, Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong took top honours in the International Series Singapore at Tanah Merah Country Club, while Jeju Island’s Lotte Skyhill Country Club was the scene of Korean Taehoon Ok’s success in the International Series Korea.

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Eugenio Chacarra’s gamble to quit college for LIV Golf pays off

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 15:50:44 +0000

By Ryan Herrington
In an alternative world, Eugenio Chacarra would have been spending the weekend cheering on the Oklahoma State football team to victory over Texas Tech from the stands of Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. But this summer the 22-year-old Spaniard made a gamble on himself. Rather than play out his senior season with the Cowboys and continue to build on a budding amateur golf CV that saw him rise to No. 2 in the world, Lopez-Chacarra signed with LIV Golf.

Five tournaments into his pro career, the gamble paid off.

Holding a five-shot lead entering the final round of the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok, Chacarra didn’t let the magnitude of a $4 million first-place pay day unnerve him. He returned to Thailand’s Stonehill Golf Club and overcame two early bogeys — his only two of the tournament — by making three birdies during a rain-delayed back nine, shooting a closing three-under 69 for a 19-under total and a three-shot victory over Patrick Reed.

“Feels great,” Lopez-Chacarra said after the final round. “I mean, I don’t think there’s a lot of secret. Just trusting yourself and working hard every day. That’s what they teach me when I was young and what these guys tell me you need to do, and trusting your team, having a good team, and just work and work I would say.”

Chacarra had planned to return to Stillwater shortly after losing the NCAA individual title in a playoff last May. But the opportunity to have guaranteed pro starts was too much to pass up in making his decision to leave college early. Additionally, he was going to have the chance to play on the same LIV team as his golf idol growing up, fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia. On Saturday, ahead of the final round, Chacarra spoke about the influence that playing and practising with Garcia has had on his development over the past three-plus months.

First professional win @Eugeniochacarra #LIVGolf #LIVGolfBangkok pic.twitter.com/jVDECgGzxY

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) October 9, 2022

“I mean, I’m still dreaming,’’ Chacarra said. “I feel like it was yesterday when I went to Madrid to watch the [2010] Spanish Open and watch [Garcia] play golf and just seeing him as an idol. He’s a Spanish idol for a long time. He’s been on tour 23 years, so I’m just trying to learn as much as I can from him, and I think I’m in a good spot.’’

Still, Chacarra’s best previous LIV finish was just a T-21 in Chicago last month as he was adjusting to the travel and new environment. His collective individual earnings in his first four starts were roughly $650,000. But something clicked in Thailand, as he opened with bogey-free rounds of 65 and 63, the confidence he exuded in college having returned.

While disappointed by the early bogeys that let others back into the competition, Chacarra never saw his lead get smaller than two shots. When rain forced play to stop for a little more than 90 minutes while Chacarra was playing the 15th hole, the reset calmed him. He returned to make nifty chip from behind the green to set up a tap-in par and then birdied the par-5 17th to give him his eventual three-shot margin of victory.

With his mother and aunt having made the trip to Thailand, along with his long-time coach, the celebration of his first pro win took on special meaning.

“It’s great. What LIV Golf is doing for golf and for everyone is something that I couldn’t react and I couldn’t be more proud to be here,” Chacarra said. “I’m learning a lot. I’m playing with the best players in the world, and that’s what I’ve wanted to do since I was little and I’m learning from each of them in particular these guys by my side. They’re trying to help me as much as I can and I’m always there learning, and it’s been a dream, and I can’t be more excited for the next years to come.”

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Here’s the prize money payout for each golfer at the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 13:17:08 +0000

By GolfDigestME.com
The plan was both creative and audacious at the same time. By partnering with the developmental MENA Tour, already approved by the Official World Golf Ranking, LIV Golf seemed to have identified a credible path to have its Invitational Series events finally receive the World Ranking status circuit have craved. But with the OWGR not quite ready to sign off on a deal just yet, the focus once again turns to the fairways as LIV Golf’s sixth event takes place at Stonehill, Bangkok — without any points on offer.

Just as they have in the five previous events on LIV’s inaugural 2022 schedule, they will be earning some very large prize money payouts.

Eugenio Chacarra, Sunday’s three-shot winner of the 54-hole individual competition, earned $4 million for his victory from an overall purse of $20 million. The 22-year-old Spaniard, an All-American at Oklahoma State who gave up his senior season to turn pro this summer and sign with LIV, shot a final-round 69 to cruise to the title after starting the day at Stonehill Golf Club with a five-shot edge.Along with the individual event, there is a team competition that paid out $5 million overall. The Fireballs (Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz and Lopez-Chacarra) ended the 4 Aces run of four straight team wins, shooting a collective 45 under.Here are the prize money payouts for the entire field at Stonehill.

INDIVIDUAL
Win: Eugenio Chacarra, -19, $4,000,000
2: Patrick Reed, -16, $2,125,000
T-3: Paul Casey, -15, $1,175,000
T-3: Richard Bland, -15, $1,175,000
T-3: Sihwan Kim, -15, $1,175,000
T-6: James Piot, -14, $737,500
T-6: Harold Varner III, -14, $737,500
T-8: Charles Howell III, -13, $602,500
T-8: Brooks Koepka, -13, $602,500
T-10: Abraham Ancer, -11, $477,500
T-10: Laurie Canter, -11, $477,500
T-10: Ian Poulter, -11, $477,500
T-10: Marc Leishman, -11, $477,500
14: Bryson DeChambeau, -10, $270,000
T-15: Matt Jones, -9, $233,600
T-15: Dustin Johnson, -9, $233,600
T-15: Phil Mickelson, -9, $233,600
T-15: Carlos Ortiz, -9, $233,600
T-15: Lee Westwood, -9, $233,600
T-20: Joaquin Niemann, -8, $174,285
T-20: Sergio Garcia, -8, $174,285
T-20: Sadom Kaewkaniana, -8, $174,285
T-20: Peter Uihlein, -8, $174,285
T-20: Talor Gooch, -8, $174,285
T-20: Jediah Morgan, -8, $174,285
T-20: Kevin Na, -8, $174,285
T-27: Charl Schwartzel, -7, $157,000
T-27: Phachara Khongwatmai, -7, $157,000
T-27: Shaun Norris, -7, $157,000
T-27: Jason Kokrak, -7, $157,000
T-27: Turk Pettit, -7, $157,000
T-27: Wade Ormsby, -7, $157,000
T-33: Chase Koepka, -6, $144,000
T-33: Sam Horsfield, -6, $144,000
T-33: Bernd Wiesberger, -6, $144,000
T-33: Henrik Stenson, -6, $144,000
T-33: Martin Kaymer, -6, $144,000
T-33: Hudson Swafford, -6, $144,000
T-33: Cameron Tringale, -6, $144,000
40: Pat Perez, -5, $136,000
T-41: Anirban Lahiri, -4, $131,000
T-41: Cameron Smith, -4, $131,000
T-41: Graeme McDowell, -4, $131,000
T-41: Matthew Wolff, -4, $131,000
T-45: Louis Oosthuizen, E, $125,000
T-45: Scott Vincent, E, $125,000
47: Hideto Tanihara, +1, $122,000
48: Branden Grace, WD, $120,000
TEAM
Win: Fireballs (Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra), $3,000,000, -45
2: Crushers (Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri) $1,500,000, -38
3: Cleeks (Richard Bland, Laurie Canter, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell), $500,000, -37

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WATCH: Highlights from the final round of LIV Golf Bangkok as Chacarra triumphs at Stonehill

Matt Smith — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 11:07:38 +0000

By Matt Smith
It was a week of firsts for LIV Golf in Bangkok as the series staged its first event in Asia, Stonehill in Thailand made its official bow on the world stage and Eugenio Chacarra claimed his first ever professional title.

What all the highlights below:

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The tour now moves on to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from Thursday for the Individual Championship, before the team finale in Miami at the end of the month.

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Eugenio Chacarra claims wire-to-wire victory at LIV Golf Bangkok for first pro crown and $4.75m

Matt Smith — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 08:32:54 +0000

By Matt Smith
Spanish youngster Eugenio Chacarra held his nerve and held off Patrick Reed to claim his first professional title of his young career at LIV Golf Bangkok on Sunday.

The 22-year-old had a response every time Reed, the two-time major winner, closed the gap and — following a 90-minute rainstorm delay — when the American dropped a shot by finding the water on 16, Chacarra never looked back to pick up the $4million winner’s cheque in Thailand, only a few months after turning pro in time for the LIVE Golf Portland event in July.

As if that was not enough, Chacarra’s Fireballs, captained by Sergio Garcia, also won the team event, meaning the foursome will pick up a share of an extra $3 million.

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LOOK: LIV Golf Bangkok final-round pairings revealed

Matt Smith — Sat, 08 Oct 2022 16:19:46 +0000

By Matt Smith
Eugenio Chacarra will have the honour on Sunday as he leads off the LIV Golf Bangkok final-round shotgun start from hole 1.

The Spaniard has a five-stroke lead over a bunch of players including Harold Varner III, Patrick Reed, Sihwan Kim and Chicarra’s fellow first-round leader Richard Bland.

One player missing from the final field at Stonehill is Branden Grace. The South African had to withdraw from the lead on Saturday with a side muscle injury.

Here’s the full field for Sunday:

LIV Golf pairings for round 3 in Bangkok

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Watch: Day 2 highlights from LIV Golf Bangkok

Matt Smith — Sat, 08 Oct 2022 10:32:05 +0000

By Matt Smith
Catch up with the highlights from Round 2 of the LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok as Spanish Youngster Eugenio Chacarra stretched his lead to five strokes at Stonehill in Thailand. Watch below…

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This was after co-leader Branden Grace was forced to withdraw after three holes due to a side muscle injury.

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