Chacarra holds off Hillier to win India Championship and goes top of Race to Dubai

Eugenio Chacarra won the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club on Sunday, closing with a two-under 70 to finish on 21 under par and beat New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier by two shots. It was the Spaniard’s third title of the year, and it took him past Patrick Reed to the top of the Race to Dubai.

Chacarra had started the final round with a five-shot lead after an eagle-finishing 63 earlier on Sunday morning, when the weather-hit third round was completed. The lead shrank on the final 18 holes, but Hillier, who shot 64 and 67 over the weekend, was the only player to get within five shots of him.

“The last round was tough,” Chacarra said. “It was really tiring waking up three days in a row at 4 am. My body wasn’t there, I didn’t feel good. It’s hard to go in on a big lead, you don’t want to push but there are guys making birdies.”

Poland’s Adrian Meronk and Spain’s Angel Hidalgo shared third on 15 under. Tommy Fleetwood was among a group of four tied for fifth on 13 under, with Gregorio De Leo, JC Ritchie and Joost Luiten.

McIlroy struggles, Reed slips behind

Rory McIlroy, who did not use his driver all week, shot a 74 and finished in a tie for 42nd. He was two over par for his last 36 holes.

“Didn’t feel I was at my sharpest,” McIlroy said, adding that he was “looking forward to getting home and practicing and feeling like I turn up at those last two events ready to play”.

McIlroy, chasing a record-tying eighth Race to Dubai title, will skip the Genesis Championship in South Korea, where Chacarra will play, and return for the closing events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Reed finished tied 23rd at eight under after a 69 and is now second, with McIlroy third.

“Two of the best players in the world are coming for me now,” Chacarra said, “and I know they are not going to make it easy.”

Ryder Cup in his sights

The former LIV Golf player has made no secret of his wish to play for Europe in the next Ryder Cup. “I’ve told Luke I want to be on that team by not just a pick, I wanted to be one of the six (automatic) spots,” he said. “We’re still a year away but I know what I’m capable of.”

Europe’s captain Luke Donald sent his congratulations. “Well done, another win. Top of the list. Keep doing it,” Donald said.

Chacarra collected €605,872.52 from the $4 million purse.

How the Indians finished

Anirban Lahiri was the best of the home players, tied 23rd on eight under alongside Reed. Yuvraj Sandhu finished tied 34th on five under, and Om Prakash Chouhan, the leading Indian for much of the week, tied 42nd on four under, level with McIlroy.

Karandeep Kochhar was tied 49th on three under, Saptak Talwar tied 55th on one under and Shiv Kapur tied 69th on four over.