GOLF.AI • Feb 25, 2026

Chacarra's Escape to 'Real Golf'

Eugenio Chacarra, a former LIV Golf winner, is forging a new path, and it leads directly back to the traditional golf ecosystem he once left behind. The 25-year-old Spaniard is now actively pursuing a PGA Tour card, a journey highlighted by his recent sponsor's exemption into the upcoming Puerto Rico Open. This opportunity represents the first detailed 'exit interview' from a player who found LIV's model unfulfilling, not for political or personal reasons, but because he missed the meritocratic fire of competition.

Chacarra's commentary on his time with the Saudi-funded league is potent and revealing. 'On LIV, nothing changes, there is only money,' he stated. 'It doesn't matter if you finish thirtieth or first, only money.' This sentiment captures a core criticism of the league's structure. He admitted to 'losing a little motivation' during his final year on LIV, a critical insight into the psychology of playing in a closed-shop league without the pressure of cuts or the reward of world ranking points.

Since leaving LIV, Chacarra has undergone a complete physical and mental reset. He has lost significant weight and recommitted to a rigorous training regimen. His return to the DP World Tour, where he recently won the Hero Indian Open, has been a revitalizing experience. 'It gave me a little more of what real golf is,' he explained. 'Having a cut, having to grind, playing every week with a lot of players.'

His story is a crucial counter-narrative to the high-profile defections that have defined professional golf's civil war. While players like Jon Rahm have cited personal reasons for joining LIV, Chacarra's journey is the first high-profile account of a player leaving specifically because he craved the competitive structure and prestige of the PGA Tour. It validates the Tour's product and provides a potential roadmap for other disillusioned LIV players seeking a return to 'real golf.'