After his controversial LIV Golf departure, Eugenio Chacarra returned to action in style to top the leaderboard at the Asian Tour's Internaiotnal Series India - where Bryson DeChambeau had an eventful debut.
After finishing in the 'open zone' in last season's LIV Golf standings, Chacarra was dropped by Sergio Garcia's Fireballs GC and failed to find another team.
He made some angry comments about the league upon his departure, and the 24-year-old is now plying his trade on the Asian Tour with his long-term goal to get a PGA Tour card.
And Chacarra showed he can still play, as he recovered from an early unlucky bounce that cost him a triple-bogey seven by shooting a four-under 68 at DLF GC to share the first-round lead.
Japan's Kazuki Higa was also on four under after 15 holes when darkness forced the first round to be suspended.
“It feels good to be back,” said Chacarra after responding to his early triple by hitting four birdies and an eagle to come home in a six-under 30 to top the leaderboard.
“I’ve been grinding on my body, on my game, and it’s been a great off season. I mean I was four over through four, I feel like I didn’t even miss a shot. I mean, the first three holes, I had three good looks for birdie, and I was even par.
“Then I hit a good iron that bounced, I think it hit a sprinkler head or something. It almost went by the fence, and I made a seven without any bad shots. But I still came back.”
Chacarra, who won the 2023 St Andrews Bay Championship also on the International Series, also played in three DP World Tour events late last year so may well be looking for some invites in Europe to combine with his Asian Tour starts this season.
Magical eagle the highlight of DeChambeau's Delhi debut
Bryson DeChambeau is making his debut in India and has been the talk of Delhi in the build-up - with the US Open champion the star attraction this week.
DeChambeau managed to play 16 holes of his first round so will have to return on Friday to complete that before his second round - but he's well placed on two under with two holes to play.
There was a mixed bag for DeChambeau, who had four birdies and four bogeys alongside his standout eagle at the par-5 eighth hole.
Watch @brysondech make an increadible eagle on the 8th hole in the opening round of the 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗗𝗟𝗙 👀🔥@intseriesgolf @Crushers_GC #InternationalSeries #ThisISEverything #TimeToRise #DLFlifestyle #DLFhomes pic.twitter.com/1MmfE5SsjNJanuary 30, 2025
The Crushers GC captain on LIV produced a sensational bunker shot, hooking his effort from 230 yards out over the water and across onto the eighth green to create his eagle three.
DeChambeau will be the man to watch when he returns to finish off his first round and then straight into his second round on Friday.
