SECL CHHATTISGARH OPEN Golf Championship 2026, jointly launched last month by the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Arun Sao, got underway on Tuesday at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur.
The tournament marks the opening event of the 2026 DP World PGTI season. The prize purse has been increased to Rs 1.5 crore for the second edition, up from Rs 1 crore in its inaugural staging last year. The tournament week began with the Pro-Am event held on 1 February.
SECL is the title partner for the championship, while NTPC, NMDC and Naya Raipur are the event partners. The Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur is the host venue.
A field of 126 professionals is competing in the tournament, which is being played in a four-round, 72-hole stroke-play format. The top 50 players and ties will make the cut after the completion of the first two rounds.
Arun Sao said, “After the grand success of the inaugural edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship last year, the staging of the second edition of the event reflects our government’s commitment to promoting the sport of golf and positioning Chhattisgarh as an emerging hub for national sporting events. Such tournaments not only encourage sporting talent but also contribute to tourism, youth engagement, and the overall development of the state. Hosting such prestigious events showcases Chhattisgarh’s world-class facilities, organizational capability, and growing sports culture.”
PGTI president Kapil Dev shared, “The successful first edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship demonstrated the state’s growing interest in professional golf, and we are delighted to return for the second edition thanks to the continued support of the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports, Shri Arun Sao Ji, the Government of Chhattisgarh and all local stakeholders. Such tournaments play a vital role in providing competitive opportunities for our professionals while also contributing to the growth of the sport in emerging golfing destinations like Chhattisgarh. We look forward to another highly competitive event that will give our players a strong platform to perform and inspire the next generation of golfers in the region.”
PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl added, “After PGTI’s highly successful first foray into Chhattisgarh last year, the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship has firmly established itself as an important stop on the PGTI calendar. The second edition reinforces our commitment to growing the game of golf across the country, taking it beyond traditional centres into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, in alignment with the Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat.”
