History and Delhi Golf Club go hand in hand.
Even before a shot has been hit, the $4 million tournament has made history – this will be the first time when three reigning major champions (Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox) will play in a tournament in India. The Indian angle #1 – Order of Merit crown: Like the DP World Tour players, the PGTI members are also playing in the final event of the new calendar. With 25 per cent of the $4 million prize fund counting towards the Order of Merit, all of them have a shot of winning the season-long crown and get a card on the 2027 season of the DP World Tour. The Indian angle #3 – Bhullar and Kochhar: Unlike last year, when players like Gaganjeet Bhullar and Karandeep Kochhar could not get into the field after aligning with the Indian Premier Golf League (IGPL), its good to see both of them, alongside Shiv Kapur, in the field this week. He has yet to make public his LIV Golf 2.0 plans, but like Patrick Reed did at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year, Lahiri could lock himself a DP World Tour card with a win this week.
This week marks the second time the DGC is hosting the DP World India Championship. On a course where long means trouble on most holes – the ball runs through the fairways and gets into the bushes – minimum use of the longest club is a good idea. The DP World Tour Order of Merit: There are two huge Rolex Series events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai at the end of the year, but the importance of the DP World India Championship can be gauged by the fact that all top eight players – starting from No1 Patrick Reed to No8 Jacob Slav Olesen – are in the field this week, jostling for positions. Saptak Talwar is in pole position, just shy of the INR1 crore mark. Obviously, it helped that IGPL, or their main sponsor, am green, has come aboard as a Platinum Sponsor of the tournament. Politics apart, this really is the best Indian field that has gathered to challenge the best international field. It’s just great for the Indian golf fans. And he has an amazing history at the Delhi Golf Club with multiple international wins.
The driver strategy: Last year, McIlroy famously kept his driver in the locker room all four rounds.
