Indian Open 2026: Alex Fitzpatrick staves off Eugenio Chacarra for breakthrough win

Gurugram, March 29 (IANS) Recovering from a double bogey, Alex Fitzpatrick surged past overnight leader Eugenio Chacarra for a two-shot win as he lifted his maiden cup in India, claiming the Indian Open 2026 title in Gurugram on Sunday.

The Indian Open has a way of thrusting the underdog into the limelight. Last year, Eugenio Chacarra arrived for the country’s National Open on a sponsor’s invite. He won, and there has been no looking back.

Valiant as Chacarra was in his title defence, the trophy had another name written on it. Before the two-shot win over Chacarra at 9-under 279 (70, 68, 72, 69), Alex Fitzpatrick arrived in India as an aspirant as well. He made the DP World Tour through its feeder line, the HotelPlanner Tour in 2024, and from then on, it was about persevering for the breakthrough on the main Tour.

The Fitzpatrick family’s rich golfing genes have been a spur, and while there was no pressure on the younger Fitzpatrick to emulate elder brother Matt, who is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, the athlete in Alex kept him believing that his time could come on the big stage

There was nothing between him and that elusive win except the need to stay patient, and that was exactly how it panned out through the week, and the final 18 holes of the Tour’s US$ 2.55 million showpiece event on the Asian Swing.

A double bogey on this golf course can have serious ramifications at any point, but it did not matter this time when Fitzpatrick completed the proceedings with one on the 18th. A champion was born in these parts, and the surname that will resonate across the globe will be ‘Fitzpatrick’. For his exploits today, Alex will take home the winner’s purse of US$433,500.

The siblings made history as the first ever to win in successive weeks on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour. Matt won the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour last Sunday, and Alex has now done it on the DP World Tour to pull alongside his big brother

The joyous outburst on the 18th green, and the stirring words of his caddie, “I am proud of you,” were all but a far cry when the leader group, comprising Chacarra, Fitzpatrick and MJ Daffue, teed off earlier than scheduled in anticipation of bad weather in the afternoon.

As it stood at that point, Chacarra held a four-shot lead. It isn’t known if the change in start affected the till-now unflappable demeanour, but the Chacarra on show in the finale wasn’t the man who drove himself with the one-liner that he was the best player in the world at his peak.

The summit was his for the taking; it was just that Chacarra, 7-under 281 (67, 69, 70, 75), couldn’t embrace the moments that could have swung it his way. Despite opening with a bogey, there were several glimpses of the doggedness that makes him the player he is.

The see-saw battle with Daffue early on was one phase, and the acknowledgement from Fitzpatrick after he caught up with Chacarra with a birdie on the 13th commenced the final assault.

Chacarra came up with a fitting reply to keep his lead, but only just. It was game on from that point, but that wouldn’t have been the case had Fitzpatrick not stirred himself up with the expletives he muttered in his mind after the early bogeys on the 3rd and 4th to fall further back.

That triggered a revival; from there till that critical birdie on the 13th, belief took over, even though there wasn’t a single shot when he could pat himself and rest.

The birdie by Chacarra on the 13th was a sign that the gauntlet had been thrown, and by raising his hand, Fitzpatrick acknowledged his opponent and signalled that he was up for the duel.

Five holes to go, it was down to the final stretch, and it was about the man who would blink first. Despite the shaking of his hands, as he later admitted, Fitzpatrick continued with his prolific back nine. Adding two birdies to the three already on the scorecard to make it five in seven holes, he went past Chacarra.

For the runner-up, the pressure of defending his status as champion and Fitzpatrick’s late charge proved to be the double whammy, and the three consecutive dropped shots between the 15th and 17th took the wind out of his sails.

The walk down the 18th should have been enjoyable, but not so for the champion in waiting. Fitzpatrick’s mind kept ticking while Chacarra ruminated on what he could have done differently to correct the outcome.

The order got restored when Fitzpatrick stood over the six-foot putt for double bogey. The lead was down to two, but Fizpatrick created a moment that had his parents and brother Matt “jumping in joy” across two continents.

“Hopefully, I can continue to push on,” said Fitzpatrick on capping the years of grind and self-doubt to usher in this moment.

The form had been trending for a while with the string of strong weeks leading to this one, and the relief of getting it done was apparent.

“It can be hard sometimes when you’re constantly chasing someone’s accolades, but luckily, it’s my brother, so it’s not horrific. It’s extremely nice to join him in the winner's ranks. I idolise him, so just trying to be like him in every way. So, hopefully we can keep doing well,” he said.

Manoj best Indian

Manoj S. (76-70-76-76) recorded the joint-best finish among Indians as he finished tied 43rd at a total of 10-over 298 alongside Om Prakash Chouhan (73-71-73-81).

Manoj, who gained 11 spots on the final day, took home the trophy for the best performance by an Indian based on his better card in the last round as compared to Chouhan.

Kshitij Naveed Kaul (73-75-77-82), the third Indian to make the cut, finished 64th at 19-over 307.

Top final scores:

Alex Fitzpatrick 279 (70, 68, 72, 69) US $ 433,500

Eugenio Chacarra 281 (67, 69, 70, 75) US$ 280,500

MJ Daffue 283 (71, 67, 72, 73); Andy Sullivan (72, 71, 69, 71); Ugo Coussaud (71, 69, 74, 69) US $ 132,090 each

Ewen Ferguson 285 (70, 73, 69, 73); Calum Hill (69, 73, 72, 71); Francesco Molinari (72, 72, 71, 70) US $ 76,500 each

--IANS

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