'It makes my job a bit harder' - McIlroy playing catch up as Chacarra tops Race to Dubai
McIlroy admits he has his work cut out to win a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai after Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra cruised to his third win of the season in the DP World India Championship.
Leading by five strokes after completing a weather-delayed third round 63, the big Spaniard (26) carded a disciplined, two-under 70 in New Delhi to win by two strokes on 21 under par from New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier.
McIlroy, who admitted he had hardly touched a club since the BMW PGA at Wentworth a month ago, tied for 23rd on four-under after a closing 74.
As a result, Chacarra leapfrogged Patrick Reed to top the Race to Dubai by 618 points from the American and 948 points from third-placed McIlroy heading to the Genesis Championship in Korea next week.
Neither Reed nor McIlroy are playing at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, which means that Chacarra could build a considerable lead over his nearest rivals heading to the enhanced points play-offs — the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship (1,500 pts for the winner) and the DP World Tour Championship (2,000 pts) — next month.
“Yeah, I'm excited to get home and do some practice,” McIlroy said after a week where he mixed two eagles and 14 birdies with 10 bogeys and two double bogeys.
“I didn't really touch a club after Wentworth until I turned up this week.
“Didn't feel I was at my sharpest, so looking forward to getting home and practising and feeling like I turn up at those last two events ready to play and ready to go.
"I know what I'm capable of, I was one of the best amateurs in the world and I wanted to be one of the best professional players in the world. I work really hard, I've got a great team surrounding me, they're always trying to make me better and I think we've been doing a great job. Great hard work and it's paying off and I'm really thankful for it." Hear from champion Eugenio Chacarra after his third win of the season moves him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings 🏆 #DPWIC
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) October 18, 2026
“Eugenio is playing well. Looks like he's going to overtake Patrick in the Race to Dubai. That makes my job a bit harder going into the last two events.”
Chacarra is also top of the European Ryder Cup rankings and he was greeted at the finish by captain Luke Donald after he followed his back-to-back triumphs in June at the KLM Open and the Italian Open with a fourth DP World Tour title.
“Congrats,” Donald said. “Another win, well done! Top of the list, keep doing it!"
The Madrid native has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the game after leaving LIV Golf after three years last year, and went on to claim his maiden DP World Tour win at the Hero Indian Open.
Back-to-back wins in the Netherlands and Italy in June underlined his talent, and after finishing third in the Open de France and joint second in the Open de España in his previous two starts, he’s a Ryder Cup rookie in waiting and one of the world’s top 50.
“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,” Chacarra 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.”
He could also become just the third Spaniard after six-time Order of Merit winner Seve Ballesteros and 2019 champion Jon Rahm to win the Race to Dubai.
“Yeah, it would mean the world,” he said. “Those two guys are heroes for me as a Spanish golfer. Seve did everything for European and Spanish golf, and then Jon, he's a guy that I've been looking up to since he went to college and professional golf; what he has accomplished is amazing.
“Hopefully I can put my name on that trophy, too. That's one of the goals.
“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 are coming for me now, and I know they're not going to make it easy.”
Tom McKibbin, who joins Chacarra in Korea next week and appears likely to step away from LIV Golf, tied for ninth on 12-under after a 69 to move up to 83rd in the Race to Dubai and secure his card for 2027.
Shane Lowry remained at 16th in the standings after a 69 left him 15th on 10-under.
Liam Nolan is keen to join them on the DP World Tour, and while he missed the cut in the Hangzhou Open, he will head to the season-ending 45-man Grand Final in Mallorca, having remained in ninth place in the Rankings race for 15 cards.
Gary Hurley (72) was 60th in the standings after finishing 52nd in China, 16 strokes behind Denmark’s Hamish Brown, who shot a 71 to win by a shot over compatriot Kristian Hjort Bressum on 21-under.
Brown’s third HotelPlanner Tour win catapulted him to the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings.
Meanwhile, China’s Ruoning Yin won her seventh LPGA title when she closed with a four-under 68 to win the Buick LPGA Shanghai by a shot from Korea’s Hye-Jin Choi on 11-under.
Leona Maguire shot 69 to tie for 22nd on two-over with Lauren Walsh joint 51st on 10-over after a 68.
Maguire is 49th in the rankings, and Walsh is 89th, with the top 60 qualifying for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
