Madrid native Eugenio Chacarra may have fractured his toe in a freak accident last week but he was never going to let that stop him playing his national open in his home town.
Golfers often refer to their home open as the “fifth Major” and the sentiment is no different for Chacarra and the 19 other Spaniards teeing it up at this week’s Open de España presented by Madrid.
That Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid is particularly close to where Chacarra was raised is just another incentive, and the 26-year-old revealed this event has long been circled on his calendar, with plenty of friends and family set to line the fairways in the Spanish capital.
Fate almost had other ideas, however, with a midnight trip for a drink sending the three-time DP World Tour winner to the physio just seven days before the start of the event.
“I got back from Fance to the States on Tuesday morning and Thursday night I woke up in the middle of the night to go and get some water,” he said.
“I had all the luggage in the middle of the living room and it was dark and I didn’t really see and I went walking and hit the corner of the sofa and it was bad luck that I had a fracture in the bone of my third toe and a little tear in my second toe.
“So it’s been a struggle for the last four or five days but I think it’s getting better. I've got my physio and my doctor working on it big time to be able to play this week, it’s a really important week for me so we’re trying to figure out what it hurts and what not.
“But it’s good for athletes, you can always play at not 100 so I’m excited for the battle and I will try my best.
“I don’t like making excuses, if I feel like I’m ready to go and play I need to focus and just play golf and try my best.”
Chacarra has plenty to play for this week and after winning twice in back-to-back starts earlier in the season, he could go top of the Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World with a victory.
That may not be the top priority though, as Chacarra looks to enjoy his time at home.
“It’s a week that I feel like every Spaniard has marked in our calendar, it’s an amazing week,” he said.
“I’m from Madrid, it’s my hometown, it’s a tournament which I came and watched since I was six years old so I’m super excited for the week and hopefully I can keep the good form and give a chance to my friends and family to watch it in person.
“It’s going to be fun, there will be all the Spanish fans and the same thing with Madrid, I’ve got all my friends, all my family coming to support me so it’s going to fun seeing them see me do my job which I've dreamed about since I was little.”
