Gurugram, March 27: Eugenio Chacarra is pushing towards a rare back-to-back triumph at the Hero Indian Open. The Spaniard, already a winner earlier this season, now stands on the brink of joining an elite group of repeat champions at India’s most challenging tournament.
Chacarra, who opened with a 5-under 67, had a mixed start to his second round after teeing off on the 10th, dropping two bogeys in his first five holes. However, he quickly regained control with an eagle on the 18th. Despite another bogey on the third, he surged ahead with four birdies in his final six holes, carding a 69 to take the halfway lead at 8-under.
Hot on his heels is South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, just one shot behind. Riding a wave of form that includes two wins and a runner-up finish in his last three starts, Jarvis is firmly in contention for yet another DP World Tour title this season.
Among the Indian contingent, only Om Prakash Chouhan and teenage talent S Manoj secured spots for the weekend. Chouhan, who previously won on the Hotel Planner Tour, followed up his opening 73 with a 71 to sit at even par, highlighted by an impressive stretch of five birdies in six holes. Manoj, meanwhile, bounced back strongly from a first-round 76 with a 2-under 70 to make the cut at 2-over.
Play on Friday faced disruption due to a lightning threat, leaving around 10 groups yet to finish. One of those affected was Akshay Bhatia, who showed signs of recovery after a difficult opening round. After starting with a bogey, he fired five birdies in the next eight holes but faltered again with a bogey on the 10th and a double bogey on the 14th. When play was halted, Bhatia stood at 1-under for the day and right on the cut line at 4-over, with two holes remaining.
MJ Daffue climbed to third at 7-under after a stunning turnaround, improving by nine shots from his opening 73 to a brilliant 64. Meanwhile, first-round leader Freddy Schott slipped back to 5-under, tied alongside Jacob Skov Olesen and Alex Fitzpatrick, both of whom still had holes left to complete.
Several notable Indian names missed the cut, including Kartik Singh, Dhruv Sheoran, Khalin Joshi, Shubhankar Sharma, Veer Ahlawat, Yuvraj Sandhu, and Rayhan Thomas.
Chacarra now has a chance to join a select list of players who have successfully defended the Hero Indian Open title—Japan’s Kenji Hosoishi, Jyoti Randhawa, and SSP Chawrasia being the only ones to have achieved the feat so far.
Reflecting on his performance, Chacarra said his mindset remains simple: to win every time he tees it up. He credited consistent practice and a strong support system for his form, adding that confidence and enjoyment on the course bring out his best golf.
Jarvis, meanwhile, remains grounded despite his recent success. He believes his current run is fueled by confidence and sees the demanding DLF course as ideal preparation for upcoming challenges, including a Major appearance at Augusta National.
With two rounds still to play, the stage is set for an exciting finish, with history within reach and competition closing in.
××××××××××××××
Telegram Link :
For latest news, first Hand written articles & trending news join Saachibaat telegram group
https://t.me/joinchat/llGA9DGZF9xmMDc1
