Eugenio Chacarra reflected on a “great experience” as he continued to impress on the DP World Tour in the company of Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald at the Austrian Alpine Open presented by SalzburgerLand.
The Spaniard has enjoyed a fine season so far, securing his maiden DP World Tour title at the Hero Indian Open at the end of March before clinching another top-five finish at the Volvo China Open last month.
That form has helped him rise to 15th on the Race to Dubai Rankings, with Chacarra partnered alongside fellow recent first-time DP World Tour winner Martin Couvra and former World Number One Donald over the opening two days Gut Altentann GC.
After opening with a two-under-par 68 on Thursday, he was the best performer of the threeball on Friday as he carded a 66 to sit among a cluster of players at six under through 36 holes – five adrift of clubhouse pacesetter Marcel Schneider.
"It was good (playing with Luke), playing with a past number one in the world, learning from how he is on the golf course and he’s now obviously the Ryder Cup Captain," said Chacarra.
"He’s someone we look up to. It was great to meet him and be with him for two long days.
"He helped us and gave us advice when I asked him.
"It was a great opportunity for me and a great experience."
Starting his second round from the tenth, Chacarra made birdies at the 11th, 14th and 16th, before rounding out his front nine with an eagle at the par five ninth.
After a three-hole run of pars, he made a double bogey at the fourth after trouble off the teen and then in a greenside bunker, before losing another shot at the sixth.
However, the 25-year-old, who qualified for the US PGA Championship earlier this month through the Asian Swing, regained his composure to birdie the par three seventh and then chip in from off the green at the eighth to ensure he heads into the weekend with momentum on his side.
“I feel alright,” he said. “A lot of work to do. I didn’t have my best yesterday, and I scrambled a good round.
"Today I started really well, five under on the front nine and it could have been lower.
“On the back nine I kind of got cold. I missed close ones on one and three and on four I got a terrible mud ball that cost me a double.
“It’s just how golf is, I lost a little momentum on the back nine and I’ll see with my team why that happened and how my attitude and how I react to those missed short putts.
"But I’m just enjoying golf again, I’ll try and do my best out there. I’ve been playing solid golf for a long time now.”
