Imperious Eugenio Chacarra Puts Matt Wallace And Joaquin Niemann To The Sword At Italian Open

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the Italian Open final round where a fascinating conclusion is in store.

Eugenio Chacarra has maintained his two-stroke advantage at Circolo Golf Torino, but Matt Wallace is pushing hard behind and Joaquin Niemann hasn't given up hope in a share of third either.

Chacarra currently leads on 22-under but Wallace is up to -20. Meanwhile, Niemann needs to go very low as he's on 17-under at this late stage.

Join us for the closing holes as we bring you all of the key updates as they happen. Thanks for tuning in!

HOW'S YOUR LUCK?

Chacarra hits an iffy drive at the par-5 15th and takes aim at the green from way back. His ball appears destined for the front bunker, only to bounce over and sit in the heart of the putting surface.

Meanwhile, Wallace hits a cracking drive but pulls his approach slightly and ends up in a tough position, short and left. "I hit the best drive of the week and I end up with that!" The Englishman is fuming.

Going last, Niemann powers his approach from inside 250 yards through the green, but the chip shouldn't be too tough as long as the lie is alright.

CHIPPING CLASS

Wallace's second shot certainly wasn't as bad as he'd first feared and he's able to clip a chip up to six feet. That should be a birdie. He might need it as well with Chacarra taking aim for eagle.

Speaking of birdies, Niemann chips beautifully from behind a small bump at the back of the green and leaves a tap in to reach 18-under, third on his own.

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

Is that the killer blow for Chacarra? The Spaniard wastes no time after Niemann taps home, striking his eagle putt with conviction towards the hole. In truth, it never looked anywhere else but the hole.

Chacarra is now on 24-under and, even with another birdie from Wallace, now leads by three. The Englishman is six-under for the day and is losing ground on the leader...

-24 Chacarra

-21 Wallace

-18 Niemann

PIN-HIGH PARTY

Chacarra goes first at the par-3 16th, measuring 211 yards today, and his ball bumps off the left fringe before settling pin-high but a good 40-50 feet away.

Wallace produces the best attempt of the lot, leaving his some 25 feet away but on the same line.

Niemann's tee shot is indicative of his weekend, in all honesty. It's at least a club short and falls down before the front green-side bunker, leaving him a horrible up-and-down situation. It's short-sided and requires nothing other than an aggressive flop shot. The stuff of nightmares.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR

Niemann's flop shot has left him a tough par putt from about 18 feet. The par attempt is quite poor in all honesty. It's short. That'll be a bogey which drops him to 17-under alongside Joakim Lagergren.

Moments earlier, Wallace gave his birdie try a really good run at the hole, but it just tailed away at the last. With Chacarra comfortably two-putting from range, there's no change at the top and time is running out for the Englishman.

CONTRASTING DRIVES

The leader pumps his drive with panache down the middle and is set up in position A1 to seal a fourth birdie of the week on this hole.

However, his playing partners aren't in quite as promising positions, with Wallace well left and likely blocked out and Niemann in the rough down the right. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to go for the green.

DRAMA FIZZLING

If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of a door slamming shut in northern Italy. Chacarra finds the front of the putting surface at the 17th and will just look to two-putt from miles away.

Wallace, meanwhile, is going to do very well to get up and down from the rough well short of the green. He was blocked out off the tee and tried to go over some trees from the rough. It didn't work out as he clipped the top of the growth and now he's battling to make par.

Likewise, Niemann's second shot was pretty disappointing once more

GOOD EFFORT

Wallace's chip from 70 yards or so releases out to 15 feet and he may well escape with a par. Not that it matters too much, he's pretty safe in second.

Niemann's splashes his ball out of the green-side bunker and will tap in for an eventful par.

DESERVED WINNER

Chacarra is playing supremely well. He's played supremely well over the weekend, and actually the whole week to be honest! The KLM Open winner was 40-50 feet away from the hole, but he's left it maybe a foot by the hole at most. It looked in for 90% of the journey as well. Fair play.

DIRTY LIP OUT

Matt Wallace sends his par attempt towards the hole, and it looks good for much of its journey, only to lip out gently at the last moment. That's tough, because it was a really good try.

At least he has the consolation of a $40,000 bonus for setting the course record on Friday (62). According to the TV broadcast, Wallace is also donating a part of that to the junior program at Circolo Golf Torino. Classy touch.

FOUR-SHOT LEAD

Eugenio Chacarra will take a four-stroke lead down the last at Circolo Golf Torino. He is set to become a back-to-back winner on the DP World Tour this season following his victory at the KLM Open some three weeks ago - the last time the European circuit was in action.

The Spaniard is also well on his way back to the PGA Tour.

SAFELY ABOARD

Chacarra and Wallace fire driving irons down the heart of the 18th fairway while Niemann takes out his frustration on the ball and wallops a driver some 50 yards longer. It's in the rough, but the Chilean has missed on the right side to access the flag.

PERKS FOR WINNING

Chacarra is about to win the Italian Open, and with it comes a whole heap of cracking perks and benefits.

Firstly, there's the trophy and title, obviously. Then there's a prize money payout of over $500,000. Add in a spot into The Open Championship and you're already looking at a great week.

But it doesn't stop there. Chacarra will take the lead in the European Swing, where there's a $200,000 bonus for the winner, and he's up to third in the Race To Dubai behind only Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy. That would certainly be good enough for a PGA Tour card next year as well. A huge moment for the former LIV golfer.

FORE LEFT

While Chacarra finds the heart of the green and Niemann lobs his approach into kick-in range, Matt Wallace pulls his approach onto the heads of the on-looking fans. It bounces up and lands in the muddy walkway, leaving a really tough short-sided chip left for the Englishman.

TWO PUTTS FOR SECOND

Wallace takes his time over the drop situation, and as well he might because Niemann is surely about to reach 18-under and he needs bogey or better to lock up second on his own.

He bumps it into the bank and watches the ball roll out. There's 20 feet left, which he can two-putt to wrap up the silver medal. He duly completes that task, and it's second for Wallace.

NIEMANN THIRD

Niemann rolls home his birdie putt to lock up solo third.

EUGENIO CHACARRA WINS 2026 ITALIAN OPEN

Chacarra rolls his birdie putt up to two or three feet and there will just be one more nudge for a round of 64. It drops, and the Spaniard ultimately wins by five after posting 24-under!

THE WINNING MOMENT