Eugenio Chacarra is now a three-time DP World Tour winner after claiming the DS Automobiles 83° Open d’Italia by five shots in Turin, but it was a disappointing end to the week for Tom McKibbin.
The Holywood man was chasing a first DP World Tour top-10 finish since last year’s Open de Espana as he lay tied for 11th going into the final round but could only manage a one-under round of 70 – two early birdies and a late bogey – and he had to settle for a tie for 25th.
Spaniard Chacarra, who held a two-stroke lead going into the final round, delivered another superb performance at Circolo Golf Torino on Sunday, carding a 64 to reach 24 under par and prevail over England’s Matt Wallace.
The victory is his second of the season, following the KLM Open in the Netherlands earlier this month, with his success moving him to third on the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World and earning him a place in next month’s 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The 26-year-old got his final round off to the perfect start, making birdie at the first, before an eagle chip-in from Wallace immediately halved the overnight deficit. The former World Number Two amateur maintained his composure despite the chase, picking up another shot at the fifth before a stellar run around the turn – he made gains at the eighth, ninth and tenth to inch closer to the title.
A stunning eagle from 35 feet at the 15th gave him a three-shot cushion over Wallace and all but sealed the win; a consistent Chacarra, who only dropped three shots all week, playing the final holes to par while the Englishman closed with consecutive bogeys to finish at 19 under par.
Wallace had the consolation of the $40,000 Nexo Course Record prize for his 62 on Friday. Having gone one better than hometown hero Edoardo Molinari’s 63 the day prior, the 36-year-old shared his intention to donate some of his prize money to this week’s venue, which is also the home course of Molinari.
Chilean Joaquín Niemann posted a 68 to finish a further shot back, while Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren surged into fourth place thanks to a final round 63.
Spain’s Ángel Ayora reached 16 under to claim outright fifth, as well as the Franco Chimenti Memorial Award – the award recognises the highest finisher born in 2001 or later, who is yet to win and is not ranked in the top 15 of the Order of Merit on any of the major Tours.
Dane Jeff Winther, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Finland’s Oliver Lindell and Portugal’s Daniel Rodrigues were in a share of sixth at 15 under, while Germany’s Nicolai von Dellinghausen rounded out the top ten.
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