Eugenio López-Chacarra carded a two-under-par 69 during the second round of the Open de España by Madrid on Friday, October 9, 2026, overcoming a fractured middle toe on his right foot and erratic tee shots to climb into fourth place at seven-under overall at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, according to tournament reports.
Chacarra Endures Foot Pain to Contend at Club de Campo
Playing through an injury that nearly forced him to withdraw from the tournament on Thursday, Chacarra managed a round featuring two numb toes on his right foot, which he treated with local anesthesia to deaden the pain. His driving accuracy suffered as he found only half of the fairways from the tee, and he experienced struggles with his approach shots into the greens. Despite these physical limitations, the Madrid native relied on a broom-style putter to sink crucial putts, sealing three birdies across his final four holes to finish with a 69.
The performance marks a stark turnaround for Chacarra at his home national open. In previous appearances at the venue, he missed the cut in 2025 and finished near the bottom of the leaderboard among those who survived to the weekend in 2024. Sitting at seven-under-par for the tournament, Chacarra stands two strokes behind tournament leader Grant Forrest of Scotland, who holds the lead at nine-under.
«I want to start Sunday as the leader,» Chacarra said regarding his ambitions for the final round. «Playing in the final group of an Open de España is something I have always dreamed of.»
Grant Forrest Holds the Lead as Scottish Contenders Surge
At the top of the leaderboard, Forrest paces the field at nine-under-par after 36 holes of play. He is joined near the summit by fellow Scot Richie Ramsay and Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach, both sitting one stroke back at eight-under-par.
While the leaders established their positions near the top, several prominent names slipped or failed to advance. Major champions including Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, and Justin Rose missed the cut entirely over the opening two days. Meanwhile, a total of 13 Spanish players successfully advanced past the cut line to secure their places for the weekend rounds.
Angel Ayora and the Spanish Contingent Enter the Weekend
Among the domestic challengers aiming to chase down the leaders, Ángel Ayora posted a second-round 70. Ayora maintained consistent ball-striking throughout his round but struggled to capitalize on the greens, missing multiple birdie opportunities that could have propelled him higher. He sits four strokes off the lead at five-under-par.
Further down the leaderboard, Adrián Otaegui and Sergio García finished the second round at four-under-par, five strokes behind Forrest. They are joined in the weekend field by compatriots Josele Ballester, Jorge Campillo, and Alfredo García-Heredia, all finishing the opening 36 holes at two-under-par. Manuel Elvira, Quim Vidal, Ángel Hidalgo, and Pablo Larrazábal also finished under par to secure their spots for Saturday’s third round.
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