Eugenio Chacarra Shoots 66 on Broken Toe at Open de Espana

Eugenio Chacarra shot a 5-under 66 in the first round of the Open de Espana, moving into second place at his national championship despite playing on a broken toe.

How did Chacarra break his toe?

Chacarra broke the toe at home in a freak accident, kicking his own sofa in the middle of the night. He said the pain was severe enough that he would have skipped the tournament entirely if it were not his national open, played this week at Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, where the 26-year-old was born and raised.

His score proved the injury hasn't touched his swing — only his ability to walk between shots.

What's at stake for Chacarra in the Race to Dubai?

Chacarra entered the week third in the Race to Dubai standings, about 600 points behind leader Rory McIlroy, who is skipping the Open de Espana. Patrick Reed, who sits between the two in the standings, shot a 2-over 73 in round one. A strong week in Madrid gives Chacarra a chance to close that gap, or even move to the top of the standings outright, on top of a shot at his national title.

Walking the course was the bigger problem than hitting shots. "It doesn't really hurt when I'm swinging, that's the only good thing, that's why I can still make a score," Chacarra said. He described the pain over the closing holes as severe enough to put the rest of his season in question.

Chacarra is scheduled to play all four remaining events of the DP World Tour season after Spain, including stops in India and Korea before the playoffs in the Middle East. He said he would spend the next day consulting his team, doctor and physio before deciding whether to continue at his national open.