BANGKOK – Standing next to his idol, talking to a group of reporters, having just shot a 9-under-par 63 in just his fifth professional event, Eugenio Chacarra beamed with pride Saturday as he held a five-stroke lead heading into the final round of the LIV Golf Invitational Series event at Stonehill.
The Spanish golfer, who starred at Oklahoma State and was originally headed back for his senior year before signing with LIV Golf in the spring, was feeling pretty good about his decision as Sergio Garcia nodded in agreement.
“A hundred percent, yes,” he said to laughter.
Chacarra is on the verge of a $4 million payday if he is able to finish off the tournament.
“I mean, I’m still dreaming,” Chacarra, 22, said after making birdies on his last two holes to take the five-shot lead over five players. “I feel like it was yesterday (at age 10) when I went to Madrid to watch the 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.”
Eugenio Chacarra leads by five shots with 18 holes to go in Thailand.
Eion Clarke/golfphile
Chacarra has apparently learned well. After some struggled to adjust (his best finish in four previous starts with LIV Golf was a tie for 24th) in his early pro events, he’s taken charge here, sharing the first-round lead and then forging ahead on Saturday with seven birdies and an eagle on the 7,700-yard Stonehill course that only recently opened.
The long layout seems to play into Chacarra’s length of the tee, and he hardly seemed bothered by the oppressive heat that had many in the gallery watching under the protection of umbrellas.
“He hardly missed a shot,” said Bland, 49, the Englishman who in 2020 won his first European Tour event after some 20 years and 400 events. “He’s only 22 but played like he’s been out here for 20 years. He can drive well on this course, but you’ve still got to hit the other shots. It was impressive to watch.”
Chacarra has a five-stroke advantage over Bland, Patrick Reed, Harold Varner III and Sihwan Kim. Brooks Koepka is tied for sixth and Lee Westwood is tied for eighth.
The 63 by Chacarra also helped his team, the Fireballs, captained by Garcia, take a seven-stroke lead into the final round.
Chacarra was a standout college player at Oklahoma State and had announced his intentions to return following the NCAA Tournament in early June. But then he had second thoughts.
He could have returned to school and been almost assured of a top spot in the PGA Tour University Rankings after next season. They give spots on the Korn Ferry Tour to the top five players, with the next five players getting conditional status and the opportunity to play on other developmental tours under the PGA Tour banner.
Chacarra weighed that with an opportunity presented by LIV Golf, which signed him to an undisclosed guaranteed agreement with the opportunity to play for $25 million purses (including the team portion).
“It wasn’t easy, but I feel this was the best for me and for my future, and what LIV is doing is something unbelievable,” he said. “The PGA Tour University doesn’t give you much; it can just give you six events, and then if you don’t play well — one of my best friends Austin Eckroat was playing Monday qualifying every year.
“And getting the opportunity to play with Sergio, one of my heroes, and then Abraham (Ancer) and Carlos (Ortiz) for a couple of years here and learning with the best players, and I feel the best players in the world are here. So I think it’s a great thing, and I’m proud of my significance.”
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