Ex-LIV Golf member vows to prove critics wrong

Eugenio Chacarra says he's intent on proving his critics wrong after receiving some flack for joining LIV Golf.

The Spaniard was one of the top-ranked amateurs in the world when the renegade tour came calling in 2022.

Chacarra decided against pursuing a career on the PGA Tour in favour of linking up with former Masters champion Sergio Garcia and his Fireballs quartet.

He picked up one LIV title but left the breakaway tour at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Chacarra has been on a tear this season, with the 26-year-old winning the KLM Open and Italian Open on the DP World Tour to essentially lock up his first PGA Tour card via the 10-card initiative.

Chacarra told the latest edition of the Sliced podcast that his aspirations going forward are to win majors, represent Europe in the Ryder Cup and become the world number one.

He also wants to prove wrong those who said he "was done" after his time with LIV Golf came to an end.

"So that gave me more motivation to work hard [and] to prove them wrong," he said.

"And now I'm probably one of the best players on the DP World Tour, and hopefully I can be one of the best players on the world and the PGA Tour in a couple years."

Chacarra said he has never regretted joining LIV.

"I think my three years of LIV were important too," he said.

"I learned a lot. It changed my life in a lot of ways also, and I'm just grateful for the opportunity they gave me, and I guess I played great at the right time when they needed players and they were paying players a lot of money."

Chacarra said he made his mind up to walk away from LIV Golf after talking to his older cousins.

"I trust them a hundred percent," he said. "They're [been] with me since the, since I turned pro."

Chacarra explained that they told him he didn't look happy, was rarely in a good mood and had lost motivation to practise.

"[They told me] I think we need to go try what you dream of. You always said you wanted to be the best player in the world. You always, you always say you wanted to win majors. You always said you want to be winning and playing Ryder Cups."

Chacarra added: "And when they told me that and I went to my bed and think about it, it's like, [they're] right, you know.

"I have money now. Having more money is not gonna really change my life. I already have life secure now."

Chacarra said the reaction he received on the DP World Tour has been positive.

"I think everyone will understand my position when I said 21-year, 22-year-old kid," he said.

"They give you all the money that they do. It's hard to say no.

"So they were all nice. I like, you know, that there's a lot of Spaniards on the DP World Tour, like you said, and they all were really nice to me and they were all trying to sell me around. 

"And obviously, when I won [the KLM Open], that meant that changed my life on my career."

Chacarra said that even if he were to secure his PGA Tour card, he'd come back to Europe as much as possible.

"It's a tour that I love," he said. "It's a tour that, as a European, I grew up watching."