We are in the middle of the professional golf season and, along with the regular ongoing Tour events, there are also Major qualifying tournaments where players can work their way into the big championships.
Just a day on from the PGA Championship, where Aaron Rai claimed his maiden Major, US Open Final Qualifying took place over two venues - Walton Heath and Dallas Athletic Club - where headlines were made at the latter.
Several notable names earned their spots for Shinnecock Hills in June, but one of those who missed out was DP World Tour winner, Eugenio Chacarra, who made the bold decision to leave mid-playoff.
Close scoring in Dallas meant a six-man playoff was needed to decide who would earn the final spot at the US Open, with two alternate spots also needing to be decided.
Eventually, thanks to a birdie on the first playoff hole, LIV Golf's Caleb Surratt claimed his place at a maiden Major, but there was still the small matter of who would secure the two alternate spots.
Chacarra was among the five remaining men, but decided to withdraw shortly after Surratt's victory, with the Spaniard leaving the premises to catch a flight to Belgium and the DP World Tour's Soudal Open.
According to a few people. Very odd scenario in the 6 for 1 playoff. On the first hole Caleb Surratt made birdie to win. The other five players made par and moved on to play for 1st and 2nd alt. Both VERY important at this site. And Eugenio Chacarra just left. Not sure what…May 19, 2026
First reported by Monday Q Info's Ryan French, the reason for the withdrawal at the time was unknown, but Chacarra himself clarified the situation shortly after the original tweet was posted.
Writing on X, Chacarra stated: "I left because my goal is to get my PGA Tour card through the DP Tour and for me to prepare (for) Belgium the right way was to get that flight.
"When you fly to Europe you lose one day and that was the only chance I had to get there on time to get some rest and practice the course."
Teeing it up at Rinkven International GC in Antwerp, Belgium, Chacarra is battling it out for one of the 10 PGA Tour cards handed out by the DP World Tour at the end of the season.
Since leaving the LIV Golf League in 2025, the 26-year-old has repeatedly explained how making it to the PGA Tour is his lifelong dream, with the most likely way for Chacarra to do that being through the DP World Tour.
As of writing, he is 18th in the Race to Dubai Rankings and just outside the 10 PGA Tour card bracket; however, with the circuit only 19 events into a 42 tournament schedule, there's still plenty left to play for.
Heading back to the US Open qualifier, it was Chandler Phillips and Henrik Norlander who locked up the two alternate spots, and time will tell as to whether they get into the Major.
I left because my goal it’s to get my pga tour card through the Dp tour and for me to prepare Belgium the right way was to get that flight. When you fly to Europe you lose one day and that’s was the only chance I had to get there on time to get some rest and practice the courseMay 19, 2026
Chacarra's move to withdraw and give up a potential spot in the US Open did raise some eyebrows among social media, with one X user pointing out that he could secure more DP World Tour points via getting into the US Open and having a strong week.
In response, the two-time Major competitor wrote: "That’s why I tried to qualify and I wasn’t good enough to make it and it wasn’t worth it to lose my flight and my team flight for an alternate spot that I also didn’t know I was going to get.
"I wanted to prepare for Belgium the best way possible. Thanks for understanding."
