We need to start thinking that the DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi is Eugenio Chacarra‘s backyard (-5). It’s not what Bay Hill is to Tiger Woods, but it might become that. The 2025 Hero Indian Open champion began his title defence with an outstanding 67 and moved into second place, just one stroke behind one of this year’s winners on the DP World Tour, the German Freddy Schott (-6). It is abundantly clear that the tough and demanding Indian course rewards good form.
It wasn’t exactly a great start to the day for Chacarra. The Madrid native began with a bogey at hole 2, looked set for a birdie at 4, but fell to another bogey quickly at 5. The day was going uphill. Admittedly a +1 is by no means a bad result on this course, but it is not the dream start.
That said, from there on it was impeccable golf from the Madrid man. A stretch of six under par, with birdies at holes 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 and 18. Flawless. Flying around the course. It is Chacarra’s fifth round in India and his aggregate is nine under par. On four occasions he has beaten the New Delhi beast and he only surrendered last Saturday of last year, the day when only three players beat the course. Incredible.
It’s clear the DLF appeals to Eugenio. He feels very comfortable on this layout and likes the challenge. Errors here are costly and the reality is that Chacarra doesn’t usually miss by much and is especially accurate with his irons, much used off the tee here. The last time Chacarra played a competitive round on this course was Sunday 2025. He posted the second-best score of the day and won the tournament. Today he did the same. Second-best score of the day. We’ll see if the consequence is the same and he finishes in victory. There is still a lot of ground to cover.
The numbers are very similar to what happened last year on the opening day. In 2025 a total of 39 players played under par on Thursday and nine broke 70. This time, 31 rounds under par and seven under 70. Similar figures. Does this mean we’ll see a similar winning score? Well, if it doesn’t rain between now and Sunday, it would be rare for it to move much from four or five under par.
Besides Chacarra’s great start and Schott’s lead, a winner in Bahrain, the opening day of the Hero Indian Open gave us a very good start from Quim Vidal (-2). Only one mistake on his card. Impressive. Meanwhile, Pablo Larrazábal made par and Nacho Elvira, despite a fabulous eagle at hole 8, finished at +5. Plenty to make up.
The course has caught out many of the rookies. To the +5s of Bhatia and Puig in the morning must be added Elvis Smylie’s +7 in the afternoon. The world’s top six players, according to the rankings, present in India have played over par.
In case there was any doubt, no rounds without bogeys throughout the day…
