New Delhi: In a major boost to Indian golf, five-time major winner Rory McIlroy has confirmed participation in the $4 million DP World India Championship later this year.
The European Tour event will be played at the iconic Delhi Golf Club (DGC) from October 16-19 and will be the biggest prizemoney golf tournament to be held in India.
HT first reported in January that the current world No.2 will head the field in this new event; While DP World Tour announced the event co-sanctioned with Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) only last month, McIlroy’s participation has now been confirmed.
The North Irishman is currently in great form, having completed a career major slam in April by winning The Masters. It was his third win on the PGA Tour this year. The success at Augusta ended his 11-year wait for a fifth major, his previous wins having come at the US Open (2011), US PGA Championship (2012 and 2014), and The Open (2014).
“I am excited to not only tee it up in India for the first time but also visit a country that I’ve always wanted to explore,” McIlroy was quoted as saying by DP World Tour.
“I’m proud to play in the inaugural DP World India Championship. I’ve always enjoyed playing a global schedule, and as I have previously said, there is tremendous potential to grow golf further in the country. This is a great opportunity and I can’t wait to play in front of Indian golf fans,” the 36-year-old added.
McIlroy’s India foray follows two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau’s first visit to the country earlier this year for the Asian Tour’s International Series played at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram, an event that witnessed large crowds on all days.
The reigning Race to Dubai champion is set to bring star power to the event with a host of DP World Tour players expected to follow suit.
DP World India Championship will be the eighth of nine events on the Back 9 phase of the 2025 Race to Dubai, building towards the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs that will culminate in the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
The tournament will also mark the European tour’s return to DGC for the first time since 2016 and ends the club’s two-year wait for an international event. Since the course was redesigned by Gary Player in 2019, DGC hosted the first two editions of Asian Tour’s DGC Open (2022 and 2023) but the event has since failed to return.