EUROPEAN RYDER CUP captain Luke Donald and 2019 Open Championship winner Shane Lowry will return to India for the second edition of the DP World India Championship, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from October 16 to 19, organisers have announced. Their participation is expected to significantly boost the profile of India’s flagship event on the DP World Tour calendar.
The tournament will once again be staged at the Delhi Golf Club and will feature a prize purse of US$4 million, making it one of the richest professional golf events in India. The DP World India Championship forms part of the DP World Tour’s “Back 9” phase of the Race to Dubai, where players compete for places in the season-ending Play-Offs and the prestigious DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Luke Donald returns to India after leading Team Europe to victory in the 2023 Ryder Cup and ahead of captaining Europe again at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in the United States. The former world No. 1 has been one of the most respected figures in world golf, with multiple victories on both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour.
Shane Lowry, one of golf’s biggest international stars, also returns after making his debut at the inaugural edition of the tournament. The Irishman captured global attention by winning The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019 and has remained a consistent presence among the world’s leading golfers, with victories across both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour.
The inaugural DP World India Championship, held in 2025, marked the return of a full-fledged DP World Tour event to India after more than a decade and attracted a strong international field. The tournament was widely praised for its organisation, course presentation and enthusiastic spectator support, reinforcing India’s growing importance in global professional golf.
DP World, the title sponsor, has continued to expand its investment in golf as part of its broader sports sponsorship portfolio. The logistics company is the title partner of the DP World Tour and has played a significant role in strengthening the circuit’s presence across emerging markets, including India, the Middle East and Africa.
Tournament organisers expect another high-quality international field, with several leading DP World Tour players likely to confirm their participation in the coming weeks. Alongside established global stars, the event will also provide Indian professionals with an opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best golfers on home soil.
India has become an increasingly important market for international golf, supported by rising corporate sponsorship, improved tournament infrastructure and growing participation. The return of marquee players such as Donald and Lowry is expected to further elevate the event’s commercial appeal while strengthening the country’s position on the global golf calendar.
From a sports business perspective, the DP World India Championship represents a key strategic investment in the Indian golf market. The participation of globally recognised players enhances the tournament’s value for broadcasters, sponsors and fans while contributing to the development of professional golf in the country. As India continues to emerge as an attractive destination for international sporting events, the championship is expected to play an increasingly important role in expanding the commercial footprint of the DP World Tour across South Asia.
