Eugenio Chacarra has revealed that he told Luke Donald that he is looking to make the 2027 Ryder Cup automatically, rather than rely on a pick ahead of Adare Manor.
Chacarra has moved into top spot in the Race to Dubai after securing his third victory of the season on Sunday, with the Spaniard winning the DP World India Championship.
The 26-year-old has overtaken Patrick Reed in the race to win the Order of Merit on the DP World Tour. He will be hoping to hold off both Reed and Rory McIlroy during the playoffs.
Of course, it has strengthened Chacarra’s case to be on the European Ryder Cup team next September. The youngster has been on Luke Donald‘s radar after an impressive run over the last 18 months.
Eugenio Chacarra targeting an automatic Ryder Cup spot for 2027
He attended the recent scouting trip to Adare Manor ahead of the BMW PGA Championship. That appears to have inspired Chacarra, who has not finished outside of the top three across his last three starts.
And speaking after clinching victory at Delhi Golf Club, Chacarra explained that he has his sights set on qualifying automatically for the Ryder Cup.
If you had to pick now, would you rather have Justin Rose or Eugenio Chacarra on your Ryder Cup team?
“Yeah, I told Luke back in the day I want to be on that team, not just a pick. I want to be one of the six spots,” he said.
“So that’s one of the goals we have on the team. I’m working really hard for it. We are still a year away, but I know what I’m capable of. I know I’m a good player. I’ve got a lot of charisma, and I just want to keep getting better and keep winning.”
Eugenio Chacarra explains how special it would be to become the latest Spaniard to win the Race to Dubai
So many greats of the European game have come from Spain. The likes of Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal have all won major championships.
Meanwhile, as well as winning five majors, Seve Ballesteros lifted the Harry Vardon Trophy on six occasions. Ballesteros’ legacy remains so important to the European game, but it obviously has an even greater impact on those from his home nation.
And Chacarra explained how it would feel to emulate Ballesteros and Rahm by winning the Race to Dubai.
“Yeah, it would mean the world. Those two guys are heroes for me as a Spanish golfer. Seve did everything for European and Spanish golf, and then Jon, it’s a guy that I’ve been looking up since he went to college and professional golf, what he has accomplished, it’s amazing. Hopefully I can put my name on that trophy, too. That’s one of the goals,” he said.
“I know it’s not going to be easy. Rory in Dubai always plays good and I know it’s going to be a big battle. Patrick, too. Two of the best players in the world coming for me now, and I know they’re not going to make it easy.”
Whether Chacarra holds on to win the Race to Dubai or not may not have too much of an impact on whether he makes the Ryder Cup team next year.
But he is heading for the PGA Tour in the coming months. If he can step up and prove himself against the best Stateside, he has a fantastic opportunity to force his way into Donald’s team one way or another.
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