Hemant Kumar Ruia, (from left to right) DP World country manager Subcontinent (India), DP World PGTI president Kapil Dev and Tour CEO Amandeep Johl pose with the DP World PGTI Order Of Merit Trophy in New Delhi on Monday. Image courtesy DP World PGTI.
By Rahul Banerji
The men’s domestic professional golf season will culminate two months earlier than before with the “Race to DP World India Championship”, setting the stage for the format to be followed in future.
In line with global logistics leader DP World-supported DP World (European) Tour, and based on its Race to Dubai as a season-long rankings system, the Indian tour will follow a similar template.
The ongoing DP World PGTI season will now culminate in early October, determining the season’s top performers, 24 of whom will play October’s second edition of the $4 million DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club.
The restructuring will also align it with the DP World Tour calendar to create more playing opportunities for DP World PGTI members, it was announced in New Delhi on Monday.
So far, the Order of Merit champion who graduates to the DP World Tour had to miss the early part of the DPWT schedule — which tees off late November in Australia — as the rankings were decided in December.
A glittering trophy that will go to the winner of the 2026 Race was jointly unveiled by DP World’s Country Manager Subcontinent (India), Hemant Kumar Ruia, PGTI president Kapil Dev and tour chief executive Amandeep Johl.
New schedule
Under the new format, the 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion will be decided at the October 15 to 18 DGC event to ensure that it plays a role in determining the year’s champion.
The renamed Race to DP World India Championship features a hectic“Back Nine” calendar with nine tournaments offering a total prize purse of Rs 10 crore.
The first three events – the J&K Open, Coal India Open and Kolar Open – have already been played in the first three weeks of August.
The Race concludes with the inaugural Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship at Jaypee Greens in Greater Noida from September 30 to October 3 from where the top 24 in the season’s rankings will earn DPWIC slots.
The Invitational will also seal playing rights for the top 60 in the 2027 DP World PGTI season and the DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion will be honoured during the DPWIC prize presentation ceremony at DGC.
“The synchronisation of the two seasons will enable the DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion to transition more seamlessly onto the DP World Tour and maximise playing opportunities immediately after securing exempt status,” Johl noted.
Said DP World’s Ruia, “We are committed to strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem and creating meaningful pathways for homegrown talent to compete on the global stage.
Rare opportunity
“The Race to the DP World India Championship, in partnership with DP World PGTI, reflects that ambition by giving India’s leading golfers the opportunity to earn their place alongside some of the world’s best.
“India is one of DP World’s most important markets, and we are proud to play a role in growing the game and supporting the next generation of sporting talent. We look forward to welcoming India’s finest golfers to the DGC where they will have the opportunity to test themselves against a world-class field.”
Added PGTI president Dev, “The Race to DP World India Championship is a great initiative and reflects our shared vision with DP World of strengthening the pathway from Indian golf to the global stage.
“The Race introduces a season-long contest which will reward consistency, raise the competitive standard throughout the season and further enhance the significance of the DP World India Championship.
“Aligning our season with the DP World Tour creates greater opportunities for our leading players to make an immediate impact internationally.”
Kapil Dev also said the Tour’s doors were always open to every Indian player but ruled the possibility of crossover entries from the fledgling IGPL, which has signed up a number of PGTI members.
Still to come
The remaining events to feature in the Race are the Telangana Open (Aug. 25 to 28), Golconda Masters (Sept. 1 to 4), Chennai Open (Sept 8 to 11), Nava Raipur Open (Sept. 15 to 18), Bengaluru Open (Sept. 22 to 25) and Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship (Sept. 30 to Oct. 3).
The Golconda Masters returns for its 12th edition while both the Chennai Open and Bengaluru Open return for their fifth editions. The Nava Raipur Open and Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship make their debut on the DP World PGTI schedule.
The new DP World PGTI season will commence after the DPWIC, marking the beginning of the next Race to DP World India Championship 2027.
DP World and PGTI will also host a Pro-Am event at DGC a day after the DPWIC followed by the felicitation of the domestic Order of Merit champion and Emerging Player of the Year.
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