SINGAPORE RECAP: FIREBALLS ENJOY THEIR FIRST PODIUM FINISH OF THE SEASON
SINGAPORE – The consistency has always been there this season with the Fireballs GC, but a podium finish continued to elude them since their end-of-the-year win in Jeddah in 2023. There have been several stunning individual performances this season, but none could inspire the all-Spanish speaking to make it all the way to a top-three finish.
It all changed on a balmy Sunday in Singapore when the two youngest members of the Sergio Garcia-led team – Eugenio Chacarra (23) and David Puig (22) – made birdies on their final holes which edged them one ahead of Smash GC to a tied 2nd place at 29-under alongside Cleeks GC.
Abraham Ancer, who has been a picture of consistency this season and recorded his first individual win in Hong Kong, notched another top-10 finish with 66, 67 and 71, but more pleasing was the grit shown by Chacarra in joining him at tied 10th place at 9-under par. The 23-year-old birdied four of his last five holes on Sunday for a crucial 68 that followed his earlier rounds of 67 and 69.
Captain Sergio Garcia was solid as usual and contributed to the team scores each day with a 69, 68 and 68. Puig continued his struggle with the opening round, managing just a 70, but in Sunday’s final round, he too finished with a flourish that included three birdies in his last four holes.
Ancer was pleased with the team effort.
“To finish tied second as a team is just nice. We have a lot of talent and we just haven’t been able to play well collectively. This is obviously the best show we’ve had so far,” said Ancer, who is 6th in the Individual Standings, with his tied 12th in Jeddah the worst finish in last five starts.
“But we know how much talent we have in the team and it’s tough to see the Fireballs name not up there. It’s nice to see that happen for a change. I know a lot of us still have a lot in the tank to do better than this finish. We’re just going to keep building on this week and hopefully, go one better when we get back together in Houston.”
Ancer is No.1 in year-to-date stats after seven events in fairways hit (67.01%, 197/294); 11th in Greens in Regulation (73.02%) and tied 12th in Average Putts (28.33 putts per round).
Speaking on his own run of form, Ancer added: “Personally, it was another solid week. I played really well the first two days and hit the ball nicely. Today (Sunday) wasn’t the case. I made a lot of bad swings and I just put myself in terrible spots that led to bogeys when I’m thinking birdies. It was one of those rounds that could have been really bad, but I fought hard to shoot even par to clinch a top-10.
“I think Jeddah was kind of a turning point for me ball-striking wise. Last year, I started hitting the ball nicely towards the end of the season, but I wasn’t doing that at the beginning of this season. But after the first two events, the swing has started to feel a lot more where I was in previous years.
“I’ve always been a pretty solid ball striker. Starting from Jeddah, it’s nice to be able to picture a shot and then pull it off. There’s still a lot of a lot of work to do, but it’s trending in the right direction.”
With the finish, Fireballs have moved to 8th place in the Team Standings with 41.83 points.
Garcia, despite his tied 14th place finish, slipped to 10th place in the Individual Standings, while Chacarra and Puig were 36th and 43rd respectively.
STAT REVIEW
Field ranking in parentheses
Fairways Hit
Chacarra – 27 (T12)
Ancer – 32 (T2)
Garcia – 33 (1)
Puig – 25 (T25)
Greens in Regulation
Chacarra – 40 (T14)
Ancer – 40 (T14)
Garcia – 40 (T14)
Puig – 36 (T42)
Total Putts
Chacarra – 91 (41)
Ancer – 84 (T9)
Garcia – 85 (T16)
Puig – 88 (T29)
Total Birdies
Chacarra – 18 (T1)
Ancer – 15 (T9)
Garcia – 14 (T14)
Puig – 13 (T21)
Driving Distance Avg.
Chacarra – 304.0 (23)
Ancer – 293.7 (38)
Garcia – 306.3 (20)
Puig – 310.0 (15)