When Eugenio Chacarra officially departed the LIV Golf League and announced his intention to compete on the PGA Tour recently, the young Spaniard expressed an opinion on the PIF-backed circuit which raised more than a few eyebrows.
Plenty of people have been critical of the 54-hole league since its inception, but never anyone who had been actively involved.
Speaking to Flushing It on X, Chacarra - who joined LIV in 2022 and won the inaugural Bangkok Invitational - said he trusted the league after it had promised OWGR points and a pathway to the Majors, both of which are yet to materialize, and that "on LIV, nothing changes, there is only money."
The 24-year-old said: “When I joined LIV, they promised [Official World Golf Ranking points] and Majors, but it didn’t happen. I trusted them. I was the first young guy, then the others came after I made the decision. But OWGR and Majors still haven’t happened... It’s frustrating, but I’m excited for the new opportunity and to see where my game takes me.
“I see what it’s like to win on the PGA Tour and how your life changes. How you get Major access and ranking points, On LIV, nothing changes, there is only money. It doesn’t matter if you finish 30th or first, only money. I’m not a guy who wants more money. What will change my life is playing in Hawaii and qualifying for the Majors, qualifying for the Masters, the Ryder Cup.”
24 year old, Eugenio Chacarra won on LIV in just his 5th start after turning pro. He’s also won on the International Series. But heading into 2025, he has a new goal, to achieve his life long dream of gaining a PGA Tour card:“I’m thankful for everything LIV has given me. I’m 24… pic.twitter.com/OfSqtfyB2LJanuary 10, 2025
The former Fireballs GC player did also state his gratitude to LIV for setting him up for life - having won roughly $16 million in three seasons - but it was his negative comments which caught the attention of more people both inside and outside the league.
Some felt Chacarra was fair in his assessment of LIV and the way he had been treated while many others considered his words extremely wide of the mark. A member of the latter group was LIV broadcaster, Jerry Foltz, who took aim at Chacarra's performances and character over the past couple of years while defending his employer.
Speaking to co-host Su Ann Heng on the latest edition of the Fairway to Heaven podcast, Foltz was asked for his reaction to Chacarra's comments which also included the Spaniard's view that he was not "treated as a winner" on LIV.
The former Golf Channel commentator replied: “I’ll try to temper [my reaction] as best I can because those comments rubbed me, and everybody else associated with LIV, the wrong way.
“There’s a lot of it that simply isn’t true, but be that as it may, he didn’t finish in the top-24 in the Lock Zone [last season]. There’s a reason we didn’t talk about him much - it’s because he didn’t play very well for the last two years.
"Secondly, he still was within the Open Zone but none of the teams wanted him. I think instead of placing blame with the league, place blame looking in the mirror. There’s a reason they didn’t want him and that’s because of the character he has displayed over two-and-a-half seasons with LIV. That basically says it all in a nutshell.”
After Heng admitted her disappointment over Chacarra's comments and the two co-hosts shared some further back-and-forth about the subject, Foltz closed the segment with another tough opinion on the 24-year-old.
He said: "Deane Beman [PGA Tour's second commissioner] used to say it to the members of the PGA Tour all the time who had complaints - play better. If [Chacarra] played better, he wouldn't be talking like this. It's quite simple."
Chacarra's path towards the PGA Tour is set to become a fairly lengthy one with a 12-month suspension on the record of anyone who competes in the LIV Golf League. As a result, the Spanish player will not be eligible for any PGA Tour appearances until late September 2025.
In the meantime, he is set for a handful of Asian Tour starts and is due to compete at the first International Series India between January 30 and February 2. Also in the field at DLF Golf and Country Club are several other current and former LIV players, including Bryson DeChambeau, Joaquin Niemann and the man who ultimately replaced Chacarra at Sergio Garcia's Fireballs - Luis Masaveu.
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