Hero Indian Open: Chacarra clinches career-altering win

"It's life changing," an emotional Eugenio Chacarra kept repeating, voicing quivering in the moments after sealing victory and then in a more assured tone.

- N Ananthanarayanan

GURUGRAM: The young Spaniard had coasted to a career-altering two-shot win in the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open, surmounting the tough DLF course for a maiden victory on the DP World Tour in only the ninth tournament.

The 25-year-old, overnight leader by a shot, had a roller-coaster start to the final round, in keeping with an eventful nascent pro golf career since 2022. Brilliant in ball striking, Chacarra shook off a double bogey and bogey on the first and third holes to roar back with birdies on the 6th, 9th, 11th, 12th and 14th for a four-shot lead. A bogey on the 17th didn't matter as the Spaniard two-putted on the 18th, tapping in for the winning par putt, fist-pumping and throwing up his arms in celebration.

Chacarra shot one-under 71 to finish four-under, beating defending champion Keita Nakajima by two shots. The Japanese went 35 holes without a birdie going back to Round 2 until he had two on the 15th and 18th - to card 72, finishing second like he did last week in the Singapore Classic. Netherlands' Joost Luiten was third after a 71.