Chacarra, Jones make Asian Tour playoff history at St Andrews Bay

Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra outlasted Matt Jones of Australia in an all-LIV Golf shootout at the inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship on Sunday, taking 10 playoff holes to decide the winner at the inaugural $1.5 million event.

It was a second title for the 23-year-old and his first over 72 holes after winning top honours at LIV Golf Bangkok in his rookie professional year and was necessitated when Chacarra and Jones finished regulation play tied on 19 under par 269.

The subsequent tie-breaker was the longest in Asian Tour history beating by three shots the previous record set at the 2001 SK Telecom Open in South Korea between local players Charlie Wi, Kang Wook-Soon, and Simon Yates of Scotland. In all, Chacarra and Jones battled for an extra two hours and eight minutes to decide the winner.

Little wonder therefore Jones commentated later, “I am done now, I am tired.”

The longest-ever playoff in professional golf history took place on the PGA Tour over 11 holes between Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum at the 1949 Moto City Open before they mutually called it off and shared honours.

Of the Indians in contention after Saturday, Gaganjeet Bhullar continued his run on the Asian Tour’s final International Series event in the UK and finished a solid fifth place alongside Chile’s Mito Pereira two shots behind Chacarra and Jones.

Ajeetesh Sandhu also looked to have made a welcome return to form with a top 10 finish on 15 under 273, while Anirban Lahiri was a further shot adrift in a tie for 14th place. The latter, in search of world ranking points, cemented his eighth place from four starts on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Twice Hero Indian Open winner Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia and Veer Ahlawat were tied in a share of 30th place on 9 under par 279s, Rahil Gangjee and Viraj Madappa were on 5 under 283 and Rashid Khan was further behind in joint 66th place.

Australian Andrew Dodt (68) and Jaco Ahlers (69) from South African shared third place one stroke behind Chacarra and Jones.

“It was a long day,” said Chacarra on the Asian Tour website later. “Happy it came out my way, but I mean, Matt had a tremendous day as well. Tremendous 10 holes, I think we all know he’s a great player. Thank you very much it came out my way but I’m sure Matt will win a lot of more events.

“It was amazing, I think the Asian Tour is doing amazing things. I mean, they’re growing the game of golf and I had a lot of fun. We normally don’t get these good days in Scotland, so it was awesome. I mean, obviously I got the win so it would make it a little more fun, but it was

awesome. Yeah, thanks to the Asian Tour International Series for what they’re doing and hopefully we can come back a lot more years.”

Two-time Australian Open winner Jones, in search of a first win since the 2021 Honda Classic on the PGA Tour said his putting let him down. “I threw away a golf tournament with the way I putted during the tournament, and in the play-off.

“I putted pretty awful all week. I missed a lot of short ones. My speed was terrible, but I hit some nice shots. It is always good to get into contention, but I am done now, I am tired.”

The 43-year-old appeared to have scuppered his chances on the third extra hole but chipped in from 25 feet to keep his chances alive.

Leader after 54 holes, Turk Pettit of the US closed with 74 and tied for eighth on 15 under, along with countryman Andrew Ogletree who continued to lead the Asian Tour and International Series rankings after closing with six birdies in his bogey-free 65.

The Asian Tour having wound up its UK Swing, returns home and the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea is the next stop, from September 7 to 10.