DELHI GOLF CLUB (DGC) is set to host the inaugural DP World India Championship from 16 to 19 October, with world No. 2 and five-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, along with Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, headlining the event. The championship, carrying a $4 million prize fund, is the richest golf tournament ever held in India.
McIlroy has already arrived in India to a hero’s welcome, marking his first appearance on the professional circuit in the country. Speaking ahead of the tournament, McIlroy said, “I’m really excited to not only play in India for the first time but also be able to visit a country that I have always wanted to travel to.”
Joining McIlroy are fellow Ryder Cup teammates Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, and captain Luke Donald alongside India’s golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri.
DGC president Raj Khosla shared his thoughts with Hindustan Times on the significance of hosting such a major event, “It’s truly a landmark event for Indian golf, and it took us a lot of lobbying, single-minded purpose, and backchannel efforts to get an event of this magnitude to our country. As a club, we are elated, but not so much for ourselves. We are actually elated for Indian golf and the country as a whole because it gives us a chance to showcase not only golf, but also our country. For stars like Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry, it’s their first trip to India. So, our objective is to send them back thinking when they can come back again really soon. The event will be broadcast across Europe, and it will potentially do wonders for branding the country. Events like these actually add to our international credibility and tell the world that we have the capability to host large-scale prestigious events in a successful manner.”
Commenting on the fan excitement, Khosla added, “There’s a lot of buzz already. The kind of marquee players that are coming draw a lot of interest. We are likely to have a huge rush because of the prime location of the course. It will surely return next year, and possibly after that as well, but next year, yes. It has also been a while since we have had an Indian winner in India. While international stars are tipped to do well, it will be great if an Indian runs them close.”
