Eugenio Chacarra is in Ryder Cup considerations after a big win in India after Team Europe captain Luke Donald confirmed he’s watching the progress of the young Spanish star this season
Luke Donald is already scouting for Ryder Cup prospects(Image: Getty)
Eugenio Chacarra’s persistent rebirth on the DP World Tour may not appear on the radar of PGA Tour or LIV Golf lovers, but he hasn’t gone unnoticed by the man who matters most should he have Ryder Cup ambitions.
Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald confirmed that the 25-year-old Spaniard, who previously played in LIV Golf, is once again in the conversation for a potential Ryder Cup call-up. Speaking with Bunkered, Donald made it clear that any European player in form this season is being closely monitored, and Chacarra has shot up that list after a big-time victory in India.
“Everyone’s on the radar,” Donald said. “Anyone European who wins, I’m always sending them a message of congratulations and keeping in contact. We’ll keep an eye on Eugenio, a young talent who played college golf at Oklahoma State. Winning on a difficult golf course like India, that shows a lot.”
That win came at the Hero Indian Open, where Chacarra fired a four-round 284 on the Gary Player-designed course in New Delhi. The course is known around the world as one of the hardest on the planet and is home to the European Tour’s most difficult hole of 2017, the ruthless par-4 14th.
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The performance marked his first DP World Tour win, following up a promising 20th-place season opener at the Magical Kenya Open in February. Since then, he’s continued to ride a wave of form with a fourth-place showing at the Volvo China Open and an 11th-place finish at the Hainan Classic to close out April.
Chacarra’s new form contrasts with last season when his results across LIV and the DP World Tour were inconsistent at best. In 2023, his LIV campaign produced two top-10 finishes in Singapore and Dallas, but he struggled in majors and DP World events, missing the cut at both the U.S. Open and St. Andrews.
His best finish on the DP World Tour last year was a tie for 28th at the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters. After leaving LIV Golf at the end of 2023, Chacarra elected to prioritize traditional tournaments and work toward becoming a fixture in the European golf scene.
Eugenio Chacarra poses with his India Open trophy
Just three years into his professional career, the former OSU standout has won on LIV, the Asian Tour, and the European Tour. Donald, who captained Europe to a Ryder Cup win in 2023, continues to search for consistency in his own playing career. The 46-year-old has missed multiple cuts this season, including at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, and the Valspar Championship. Through one round at the Turkish Open this week, Donald sits tied for 102nd at two over par.
Chacarra’s rise is happening as the next Ryder Cup is scheduled for Sept 26-28, at Bethpage Black in New York. The qualification cutoff for Team Europe ends August 24, following the Betfred British Masters, with the top six ranked players earning automatic berths. Rory McIlroy, Rasmus Hojgaard, Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Ludvig Aberg occupy those slots. Tommy Fleetwood, Thomas Detry, and Matt Wallace sit on the bubble.
Supporting Donald for Team Europe are vice-captains Edoardo Molinari, Thomas Bjorn, and Jose Maria Olazabal. Team USA will be captained by Keegan Bradley, alongside Vice Captains Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson, and Brandt Snedeker.
