Chacarra Keeps Race to Dubai Lead Despite Cracked Driver in Abu Dhabi
By Staff Writer
3 min read
Key takeaways
- Eugenio Chacarra shot a two-under 70 at Yas Links after cracking his driver in the Pro-Am and missing every fairway on the front nine.
- Rory McIlroy carded a four-under 68, two shots clear of Chacarra, despite a double bogey on the 12th hole.
- Patrick Reed shot 74 with only one birdie, finishing with a double bogey on the 18th.
- Chacarra entered the week leading the Race to Dubai by 669.27 points over Reed and 999.03 over McIlroy, with two events left.
- Francesco Laporta leads the Abu Dhabi Championship outright after an opening 62.
Eugenio Chacarra's bid to win the Race to Dubai survived a damaged driver and a scrambling start to the Abu Dhabi Championship, where the Spaniard shot a two-under 70 at Yas Links on Thursday to stay in front of Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed.
What happened to Chacarra's driver?
Chacarra cracked his regular driver during Wednesday's Pro-Am and played the first round with a replacement that left him unable to find a fairway on the front nine. He turned his round around on the back nine, making four of his six birdies there to post 70.
A cracked driver in the Pro-Am cost Chacarra the front nine, not the tournament.
"I got a bit unlucky that my driver cracked yesterday in the Pro-Am on the 6th hole," Chacarra said in an on-course interview at Yas Links.
How did McIlroy and Reed fare in Round 1?
McIlroy, grouped with Chacarra and Reed for the first two rounds, made six birdies of his own and finished at four-under 68 despite a double bogey on the 12th hole, closing with birdies on 14, 15 and 16. Reed had a quieter day, making the turn with 10 straight pars before a late birdie, a bogey and a double bogey on the last to sign for a 74.
Francesco Laporta posted the low round of the day, a 62, to lead outright. Jon Rahm, playing his first event back, shot 65 to sit tied second alongside Englishman Sam Bairstow, who learned he had a place in the field while flying to the UAE after a string of late withdrawals.
What does Chacarra need to clinch the Race to Dubai?
Chacarra arrived at Abu Dhabi leading the Race to Dubai by 669.27 points over Reed and 999.03 over McIlroy, with two events remaining. The winner at Yas Links collects 1,500 of the 9,000 points on offer this week, and the DP World Tour Championship winner in Dubai takes 2,000 of a 12,000-point pool.
| Player | Position entering Abu Dhabi | Points behind Chacarra |
|---|---|---|
| Eugenio Chacarra | 1st | — |
| Patrick Reed | 2nd | 669.27 |
| Rory McIlroy | 3rd | 999.03 |
A win this week would put Chacarra in position to clinch the title outright before Dubai. McIlroy's path requires a win at Yas Links, and anything below third would leave him more than 2,000 points adrift heading into the DP World Tour Championship. Reed needs at least a runner-up finish this week while Chacarra finishes no better than sixth to retake the lead, or a win paired with a Chacarra finish no better than second.
Chacarra would become just the third Spaniard to win the Harry Vardon Trophy, after Seve Ballesteros and Jon Rahm. McIlroy is chasing a fifth straight title and an eighth overall, which would tie Colin Montgomerie's all-time record.
Frequently asked questions
Who is leading the Race to Dubai?
Eugenio Chacarra leads after three wins this season, with a 669.27-point cushion over Patrick Reed and a 999.03-point gap to Rory McIlroy heading into the final two events.
Who shot the best round in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Championship?
Francesco Laporta shot a 62 to lead outright, with Jon Rahm and Sam Bairstow tied for second at 65.
How many Race to Dubai points are left to play for?
There are 9,000 points on offer at the Abu Dhabi Championship and 12,000 at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
- eugenio chacarra
- rory mcilroy
- patrick reed
- race to dubai
- dp world tour
- abu dhabi championship
- harry vardon trophy
- jon rahm
- francesco laporta
