Staff WriterGolf in India is about to get the kind of spotlight it’s never had before. The DP World India Championship is rolling into Delhi Golf Club from October 16–19, and it’s bringing with it a $4 million prize fund—the largest ever purse for a DP World Tour event in the country. If that doesn’t get the turban tails flapping, nothing will.
Ryder Cup regulars Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry have confirmed they’ll be in the field, joining Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and local favourite Shubhankar Sharma for what’s shaping up to be one of the most glamorous golfing gatherings this side of Augusta National’s Butler Cabin.
For Lowry, it’s a bit of a homecoming. The Irishman hasn’t been back to Delhi since the 2010 Avantha Masters, but he’s returning with a Claret Jug on his mantel and a third Ryder Cup appearance just around the corner.
“Having the opportunity to play in front of golf fans all over the world is one of the best parts of my job, so I’m really looking forward to going back to Delhi for the first edition of the DP World India Championship,” said Lowry.
Hovland’s first Indian adventure
Hovland, meanwhile, is ticking off a new country on his travel map. The Norwegian, who this year picked up his 11th worldwide title at the Valspar Championship, is also heading into his third Ryder Cup in blue and gold. But India will be a first.
“I’ve heard a lot about Delhi as a city and I’m excited to tee it up in India for the first time at such a historic golf course. It’s shaping up to be a great event, and I’m looking forward to everything about the experience,” said Hovland.
For Delhi Golf Club, a venue steeped in history, the DP World India Championship represents a chance to join the sport’s modern narrative. Co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the event follows the success of the 2025 Hero Indian Open and plants India firmly on golf’s global calendar.
Corporate muscle meets grassroots vision
Yuvraj Narayan, Group Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer at DP World, sees it as more than just another trophy stop: “The DP World India Championship highlights our enduring commitment to India—a strategic and priority market for DP World.
We see huge potential for golf in the region, and this tournament is a key step in our long-term vision to support and grow the game. We’re proud to be welcoming more top talent to an already world-class line-up at the iconic Delhi Golf Club, for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of golf.”
And they’re not just talking about the pros. DP World has already tied itself to grassroots initiatives in India, from cricket’s Delhi Capitals to quirky campaigns like ‘Balls for Birdies’ and the Second Life Container project, which are aimed at making sport accessible from the ground up.
The bigger picture
As part of the ‘Back 9’ phase of the 2025 Race to Dubai, the tournament will be the penultimate stop before the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
That means points, playoffs, and plenty of late-season drama. Add in Ryder Cup buzz and a hometown hero in Sharma, and Delhi is about to see a golfing spectacle unlike anything it’s hosted before.
Tickets for the DP World India Championship are already on sale, and if the early names in the field are anything to go by, fans might want to grab them before the queues stretch from Connaught Place to Qutub Minar.
