McIlroy, Rai headline a star-studded field

A galaxy of golf’s biggest names will descend on the picturesque Delhi Golf Club for the second edition of the DP World India Championship, which tees off here on Thursday.

With a prize purse of $4 million, the tournament has attracted three reigning Major champions, alongside several other big names. The 2026 Masters champion Rory McIlroy is undoubtedly the biggest draw, with PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox, who won The Open Championship, among the other leading contenders.

Justin Rose (2013 U.S. Open), Danny Willett (2016 Masters), Patrick Reed (2018 Masters) and Shane Lowry (2019 Open Championship) further bolster the star-studded field.

With the season nearing its conclusion, there is plenty at stake beyond the tournament title. This week’s performance could prove decisive in the Race to Dubai, where Reed, Eugenio Chacarra and McIlroy are locked in a three-way battle.

The storied DGC presents a distinctive challenge. At a time when courses are increasingly designed to accommodate long-hitters, the DGC demands a different approach. Its relatively short layout, narrow fairways, dense tree cover and thick rough place a premium on accuracy and course management.

Big-hitting offers little advantage here, so much so that several players are expected to leave their drivers in the hotel.

Defending champion Tommy Fleetwood noted that the rough has grown thicker this year, adding another layer of difficulty.

“Last year, if you missed the fairways, you could hit it towards the green and then figure it out. But this year, if you hit it in the rough, you’re just hacking it out,” Fleetwood said.

The home challenge will be spearheaded by DP World PGTI Order of Merit leaders Saptak Talwar, Khalin Joshi and Veer Ahlawat. Shubhankar Sharma, meanwhile, arrives on the back of a victory at the Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship a few days ago.

The blue riband event of Indian golf promises a compelling blend of world-class talent and serious test of skill.