Alex Fitzpatrick won his first DP World Tour title with a two-shot victory at the Hero Indian Open, coming a week after his older brother Matt secured a win on the PGA Tour. The brothers became the first pair to win in consecutive weeks across the PGA and DP World Tours.
“I idolise him. I’m just trying to be like him in every way,” Alex said of Matt, a former US Open champion. “It can be hard sometimes when you’re constantly chasing someone’s accolades but luckily it’s my brother so it’s not horrific.”
Alex started the final round four shots behind defending champion Eugenio Chacarra, and that gap stretched to six after five holes. What followed was a dramatic reversal: Fitzpatrick surged while Chacarra faltered. From the sixth hole, Alex produced eight birdies in a 12-hole span and seized the lead at the 15th when Chacarra dropped what became his fourth of six bogeys on the day.
Chacarra added further blemishes at 16 and 17, leaving Fitzpatrick with a four-shot cushion heading to the 18th. Although Fitzpatrick double-bogeyed the last, he posted a three-under 69 and finished the tournament on nine under. Chacarra’s three-over 75 left him alone in second at seven under, while England’s Andy Sullivan, France’s Ugo Coussaud and South Africa’s M. J. Daffue tied for third on five under.
The triumph was achieved in Alex’s 87th DP World Tour start and followed Matt’s one-shot victory in Florida the previous Sunday. Alex said he planned to see their parents and join his brother in Florida to celebrate. “It has been a lot of hard work for a long time and I have a lot of people to thank for this. I am over the moon and am probably going to cry. I am ecstatic,” he added. “At no point today [did I think I had the win]. I asked my caddie how many putts I had from six feet so I think that says it all. I am mentally exhausted. It’s a challenge out here and I am happy to come out on top.”
Alex’s comeback included back-to-back early bogeys at three and four that left him two over after five, but he picked up shots on three of the next four holes. After a bogey at the 10th, he responded with five birdies in seven holes to take control. Chacarra, who had been aiming to defend his title, began with a bogey and repeatedly surrendered shots, ultimately dropping three in a row from the 15th.
The next regular DP World Tour event is the Volvo China Open in Shanghai from April 23, while the season’s first major, The Masters at Augusta National, takes place from April 9.