PROFESSIONAL GOLF TOUR OF INDIA (PGTI), in association with Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Arun Sao, has announced the second edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship. The tournament will serve as PGTI’s season opener for 2026 and is scheduled to be held from 3 to 6 February at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur.
The prize purse for the event has been increased to Rs 1.5 crore, up from Rs 1 crore in its inaugural edition last year. India’s leading professional golfers, along with several international players, are expected to take part. According to the media release, the tournament week will commence with a Pro-Am event on 1 February.
The championship will feature a field of 126 professionals and will be contested in the stroke-play format over four rounds of 18 holes each. The top 50 players and ties will qualify for the final two rounds after the halfway cut.
Located on the banks of the 450-acre Jhanjh Lake and surrounded by nearly 500 acres of forest, the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur offers a picturesque setting. The par-69 course is the first 18-hole golf facility developed in central India and was designed by Australia-based Pacific Coast Design, with project management handled by SGDC.
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. Golf resonates strongly with a nation aspiring towards developed-country status. Guided by the clear strategic direction of the PGTI Board, led by President Mr. Kapil Dev and G20 Sherpa Mr. Amitabh Kant, the Tour continues to expand professional golf into newer regions while creating greater playing opportunities for Indian professionals. We are grateful to the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports, Shri Arun Sao Ji, the Government of Chhattisgarh and all local stakeholders for their support in staging the second edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship, featuring a 50% increase in prize money to INR 1.5 crore, with the winner earning INR 22.5 lakhs, marking an ideal start to the 2026 PGTI season.”
