Eugenio Chacarra, the Race to Dubai leader, is excited to play alongside his idol Rory McIlroy at the Abu Dhabi Championship (November 5-8), which gets under way at Yas Links on Thursday.
The event will see the top 70 players on the Race to Dubai compete for 50 places in the DP World Tour Championship (November 12-16).
A host of top stars will be in action in the UAE capital, but for Chacarra, the tournament offers a chance to compete with McIlroy, the player he grew up admiring.
The Spaniard could not hide his joy when asked about McIlroy, the six-time Major champion, at the pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday.
“I’m excited, I dream of playing with the best players in the world and I get a chance to play with Rory for the first time,” he said. “I’ve been watching him play since I was little. He’s one of my idols. So super excited for the opportunity.”
The Spanish golfer will start his campaign at 11:50 am alongside McIlroy and Patrick Reed, his two biggest rivals in the Race to Dubai Rankings.
Chacarra has the edge going into the Abu Dhabi tournament, having recorded a two-shot victory last month at the DP World India Championship.
Reed sits next, while McIlroy, who completed a Career Grand Slam earlier this year, is in third place.
“I’m excited to have the pressure on to go out there and show that I can compete with them like I’ve been doing all year. Just have some fun. They are both major champions. Obviously Rory has won the Grand Slam. It’s a round I’m going to be looking forward to and I’m going to play my game – I know if I play my game, I can compete against them and I’m excited for that opportunity,” Chacarra said.
The 26-year-old says he is not at all intimidated by McIlroy and Reed’s reputations as he prepares for the first round.
“Golf is four rounds. It’s just the first round, so I’m just going to go enjoy and play my best,” he said.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Obviously there are a lot of points this week, a lot of points next week. Just be patient, play my game, and I know if I do that, I’ll have a good chance on Sunday in Dubai.”
Chacarra also heaped praise on Yas Links.
“I just saw the front nine, and like last year, the course is in spectacular condition,” he said.
“It’s probably the best conditions we’ve played all year. It’s a fantastic course and the greens are fast. It depends on how much the wind is going to blow, but obviously there’s not been a lot of wind, at least today. There’s probably going to be a lot of birdies. On the greens, it rolls fantastic, so you can make a lot of putts.”
Meanwhile, Casey Jarvis, who will tee off alongside defending champion Aaron Rai and Daniel Hillier at 11:39 am, also has a chance to finish the Abu Dhabi tournament on top of the rankings, having won two tournaments this year.
Source: Khaleej Times