Chacarra eyes top spot at DP World Tour Championship
- Last updated: October 31, 2026 | 11:14
Eugenio Chacarra will arrive at Jumeirah Golf Estates for the DP World Tour Championship from November 12-15 with the Harry Vardon Trophy within reach, as the in-form Spaniard bids to become only the third player from his country, after Seve Ballesteros and Jon Rahm, to be crowned European No. 1.
The latest chapter of a standout 2026 campaign was written in Delhi earlier this month, where Chacarra played 25 holes on a gruelling final day of the DP World India Championship, signing for a closing 70 to finish 21 under par and two clear of the field.
That third title of the year, following June triumphs at the KLM Open and the DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia, carried him to the summit of the Race to Dubai rankings delivered by DP World on 4,092.89 points, ending Patrick Reed’s lengthy stay at the top.
It also lifted him 11 places to 39th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and took his DP World Tour haul to four titles, building on his Hero Indian Open win at DLF Golf and Country Club last season.
“To be leading the Race to Dubai with two events to go is a dream,” said Chacarra, who will also feature at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship next week.
“To have the chance to win the Harry Vardon Trophy would be very special. I know the players behind me will push hard in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but I’m playing the best golf of my career and I can’t wait to get there.”
Chacarra will be joined at Jumeirah Golf Estates by Dubai resident Tommy Fleetwood, who will be chasing a fourth UAE title. The world No. 7 won back-to-back titles in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and 2018, claiming the Race to Dubai in the first of those seasons, before winning the inaugural Dubai Invitational in 2024 and lifting the PGA Tour’s FedExCup last year.
Fellow Dubai resident Adrian Meronk arrives in fine form after ending a 1,078-day wait for a fifth DP World Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship earlier this month. The Pole started the final day two off the lead, before he fired a five-under 67 around the Old Course, St Andrews, pulling clear of overnight leader Casey Jarvis to finish two shots ahead of the chasing pack.
Englishman Joe Dean has also booked his place in the season finale after one of the stories of the year. Dean won his maiden DP World Tour title on home soil at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, making a remarkable 11 birdies in 24 holes on the final day.
Dean was playing on the EuroPro Tour as recently as 2022 and did not play any ranking golf in 2023 – the same year he earned his DP World Tour card through Qualifying School. A lack of funds meant he did not tee it up until the following February, with Dean continuing to work as a supermarket delivery driver while also seeking the help of a hypnotist to overcome his issues with international travel.
The quartet join an already star-studded field on the Earth course. Seven-time Race to Dubai champion Rory McIlroy returns in pursuit of an eighth Harry Vardon Trophy to draw level with Colin Montgomerie’s record, while Patrick Reed – the man Chacarra displaced at the top of the Rankings – is also confirmed.