A former LIV golfer left in the middle of a playoff at a U.S. Open final qualifier on Monday.
The unusual situation happened at Dallas Athletic Club during a six-way playoff for the ninth and final spot available in the field next month at Shinnecock Hills. But after current LIV golfer Caleb Surratt birdied the first extra hole, there were still two alternate spots to play for.
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That’s when Eugenio Chacarra decided to leave the premises, forfeiting his chance of getting into the U.S. Open. Monday Q Info’s Ryan French originally reported the bizarre scene.
But on Chacarra, who now plays on the DP World Tour after three years on LIV, responded to explain why he left. And it makes more sense.
As you can see, he had a flight to Belgium that he wanted to make in order to get there in time to prepare properly for this week’s DP World Tour event, the Soudal Open. And that his bigger focus is earning his PGA Tour card by being in the top 10 of that circuit.
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Chacarra also explained that he chose the Dallas site instead of Walton Heath in England because he lives in Tulsa, doesn’t prefer links golf, and qualified for the 2024 U.S. Open in Dallas. So, again, his abrupt departure makes more sense, but it was still a strange sight.
Chandler Phillips and Henrik Norlander earned the first- and second-alternate spots in Dallas, while Peter Uihlein was medalist, one shot ahead of Tom Kim.
Chacarra is currently No. 18 on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai ranking, but several players above him already have PGA Tour status for next year. Recent Truist Championship winner Kristoffer Reitan is an example of one such player who used that category to come to the PGA Tour.
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