Chacarra leads by 2 shots and in sight of another big win in India as McIlroy fades

NEW DELHI — Eugenio Chacarra has moved into position for another big win in India.

The Spanish golfer was leading by two strokes on 14-under par when Saturday’s play at the DP World India Championship was suspended because of fading light, with most of the field yet to finish their third round.

Chacarra was 4 under for his round after 11 holes, having started out in the halfway lead after completing a second-round 67 early Saturday.

Joost Luiten (4 under after 12 holes) and Angel Hidalgo (4 under after 11 holes) were tied for second place, with Daniel Hillier, Adrian Meronk and Scott Jamieson a further shot back.

Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy — battling with Chacarra for the season-long Race to Dubai title — were eight and 10 shots off the lead, respectively.

Chacarra earned one of the biggest wins of his career in India last year, triumphing at the Hero Indian Open — where he was playing on an invitation — to earn his full status on the European tour. He had previously been on the LIV Golf circuit.

Play will restart at 6.35 a.m. local time on Sunday, with Chacarra needing to play the remaining seven holes of his third round as well as his entire final round.

McIlroy fades

McIlroy was only four shots off the 36-hole lead after a bogey-free second-round 68 but he slipped out of contention following a dreadful eight-hole stretch in the third round.

Between Nos. 3-10, the Northern Irishman — showing off a new look with his Tommy Fleetwood-style baggy pants — made four bogeys and a double that contained a duffed chip from thick rough beside the green.

Holing out from a bunker for eagle at No. 14 eased some of McIlroy's misery, but he was still 2 over for his third round after 15 holes.

McIlroy is seeking an eighth Race to Dubai title as the European tour's No. 1 player of the season, which would tie the record of Colin Montgomerie. It was previously called the Order of Merit.