The excitable Eugenio Chacarra wins in Italy, qualifies for the British Open and is one step closer to the PGA Tour

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His eyes dart up and down, tracking the ball flight, while his head swivels from side to side in an attempt to coerce the ball back to his target. DP World Tour star Eugenio Chacarra becomes more watchable with every swashbuckling swing and intense reaction.

There’s a strong chance golf fans will be watching Chacarra’s relentless brand of golf on the PGA Tour next year after the 6-foot-2 Spaniard walloped the field at the Italian Open on Sunday to collect his second DP World Tour title in three weeks.

“Yeah, winning is always great, but that’s what we work for,” Chacarra said after his victory. “I’ve been doing [some] incredible work these last couple of years and I’m very proud of myself.”

Chacarra, whose Arnold Palmer-type swing and aspirational pace of play left commentators in awe, will also be visible at the 154th Open Championship next month given the Italian Open afforded the leading player a spot in the field at Royal Birkdale.

“Yeah, so excited,” Chacarra said. “I’ve never played [the British Open]. I’ve dreamed of playing it, always. I’ve watched Seve [Ballesteros] win British Opens. I’ve watched it on TV since I was little. Excited to be out there. It’s now time to celebrate and then we focus on that.”

A former LIV golfer, Chacarra was cruising on Sunday at the Italian Open, two shots ahead of playing partner, Matt Wallace (67). After five birdies, Chacarra dropped a lengthy eagle putt on the par-5 15th that took his final-round scorecard to seven under par at the Circolo golf course in Turin.

Three closing pars gave Chacarra a bogey-free 64, enough for a five-shot victory over Wallace at 24 under. He didn’t shoot worse than 66 all week at the par-71 course. LIV Golf’s Joaquin Niemann (68), also in the final trio, finished third at 18 under.

“Obviously, [64] is a great round of golf,” Chacarra said. “Not just this round, but all week. And I think it’s [now] 20 rounds in a row under par. I’ve been playing solid golf. I’ve done an incredible job with my caddie staying patient. I’m enjoying golf.”

Wallace chipped in for eagle at the par-5 first and when the Englishman birdied the fourth, he drew level with Chacarra. But from the fifth, Wallace was unable to avoid errors like Chacarra, mixing three bogeys—including at 17 and 18—with four birdies.

“I think it was a good fight; two world-class players, probably two of the best players in the world,” Chacarra said. “That’s what I was dreaming since I was little, to play against those kinds of players down the stretch. I’ve very proud how I played and how I managed myself today.”

Having won the KLM Open in the Netherlands earlier this month, Chacarra took a step closer to achieving his lifelong dream of playing on the PGA Tour when he catapulted to third on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings. His current position, though, is essentially second place once PGA Tour member Rory McIlroy’s name is removed from the list. The top 10 points earners at the end of the DP World Tour season earn cards on the PGA Tour for 2027. Chacarra now has 2,107 points. For comparison, the 10th finisher on last season’s Race to Dubai final standings earned 2,203 points.

Chacarra, now 26, was once a standout at Oklahoma State University. He was the No. 2-ranked amateur in the world when he turned professional and joined LIV Golf in 2022. He quickly won a LIV event and an International Series tournament on the Asian Tour in 2023.

But at the end of the 2024 season, Chacarra was not re-signed by Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs team and decided to leave the league and play on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour. At the time, Chacarra was outspoken about LIV Golf. In a January 2025 interview with Flushing It Golf, Chacarra said: “I see what it’s like to win on the PGA Tour and how your life changes. How you get major access and ranking points. On LIV, nothing changes, there is only money.”

After serving a one-year suspension from the PGA Tour for most of 2025, Chacarra received a sponsor invitation to the Puerto Rico Open this year and he tied for 21st place.

Chacarra will likely next tee up at the Scottish Open next month, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA and DP World tours. The following week he will play in the British Open.

“I’ve proved myself already,” Chacarra said Sunday in Italy. “When I was an amateur I was one of the best in America and I want to be one of the best players in professional golf.”

He’s already one of the most exciting.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com