NewKerala.com

PGTI Launches Record 2026 Season with Rs 14 Crore Prize Purse

The Professional Golf Tour of India has announced a record-breaking 2026 season with 12 events carrying a total prize purse of Rs 14 crore. The season features two marquee events offering US$300,000 each, among the highest on the domestic circuit, alongside major corporate partnerships with DP World and Axis Bank. A key highlight is the launch of "72 - The League," India's first franchise-based professional golf league, introducing a team format. The tour has also strengthened its player development pathway through NexGen events held across multiple Indian cities.

Key Points: PGTI 2026 Season: 12 Events, Rs 14 Crore Prize Purse

  • 12 events with total prize purse of Rs 14 crore
  • Two marquee events offer US$300,000 each
  • DP World becomes Title and Umbrella Partner; Axis Bank joins as Banking Partner
  • Launch of India's first franchise-based golf league, "72 - The League"
  • NexGen events strengthen player pathway for emerging professionals
3 min read

PGTI heralds strong start to 2026 season, stages 12 events with prize purse of Rs 14 crore

PGTI kicks off its 2026 season with 12 events, Rs 14 crore prize purse, new franchise league '72 - The League', and major partnerships with DP World and Axis Bank.

"The expansion of tournaments and prize purses is creating greater opportunities for Indian professionals and raising the standard of competition. - Kapil Dev"

New Delhi, May 7

The Professional Golf Tour of India began its 2026 season with one of its strongest starts, staging 12 events carrying a total prize purse of Rs 14 crore, highlighting a step-up in scale, prize money and format innovation, alongside wider international participation, new corporate partnerships and a stronger focus on the player pathway through NexGen events.

In the first half of the season, three tournaments each carried prize purses of Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 1 crore, while two marquee events offered prize purses of US$300,000 (approximately Rs 2.76 crore), among the highest on the domestic circuit, according to a press release.

During the year, DP World became the Title and Umbrella Partner of PGTI, while Axis Bank joined as the Official Banking Partner. PGTI lived up to its avowed focus of spreading golf across India by organising tournaments across Nava Raipur, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad.

Key events included the SECL Chhattisgarh Open, DP World Players Championship powered by Urbana at Kolkata, Indorama Ventures Open Golf Championship and the PGTI Open, an event co-sanctioned with the Hotel Planner Tour.

The April calendar added further depth with three Rs 1 crore events, namely the Andhra Open Golf Championship 2026 at East Point Golf Club, Visakhapatnam, Boulders Classic at Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club, Hyderabad and the DP World Players Championship at Classic Golf & Country Club, Gurugram, Haryana.

PGTI also strengthened its professional golf development pathway through NexGen events, creating competitive opportunities for emerging professionals across centres such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Phillaur, a historic town in Punjab, and Patna, the release said.

The action-packed calendar and higher prize purses are expected to strengthen competitive depth, improve earning opportunities and enhance India's positioning on the global golf circuit.

The tour also engaged with public stakeholders on the role of golf in tourism promotion, regional development and sports infrastructure creation. The season also saw the launch of "72 - The League," India's first franchise-based professional golf league, introducing a team format.

Taken together, the growth in events, sponsorship support, prize money, player earnings and pathway events points to the continued expansion of the professional golf ecosystem in India.

Kapil Dev, President of PGTI, said the expansion of tournaments and prize purses is creating greater opportunities for Indian professionals and raising the standard of competition.

PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl said the tour remains focused on building a deeper, more competitive platform with stronger international integration and improved earning opportunities for players.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Siddharth F
Love the idea of "72 - The League"! Franchise-based golf sounds exciting. But I do wish some of these events were held in southern cities too - Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi. Golf is growing there as well. Still, happy to see the sport getting more attention in India. 🙌
T
Tanya I
As a golf enthusiast, this is wonderful news! The NexGen events in Patna and Phillaur are particularly encouraging - spreading the game beyond metros. But I'm curious about the ROI for sponsors at ₹1.5 crore per event. Hope this becomes sustainable long-term, not just a temporary boost. 🤔
J
James A
Great to see Indian golf's progress! The Total Prize Fund of ₹14 Crore (≈ US$1.68 million) for 12 events is a solid foundation. Coming from the US circuit, I can say this is competitive for a domestic tour. The Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam venues are world-class - played there last year. Exciting times ahead! 🇮🇳⛳
A
Ananya R
Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. ₹14 crore across 12 events means average ₹1.16 crore per tournament. With travel, accommodation, and caddie fees, how much do players actually take home? But yes, it's a start. Hope the prize money only increases from here. Also, please include more women's events next season! 👩‍🏌️‍♀️
R
Rahul R
Waah! PGTI finally matching up to global standards! 🇮🇳 The franchise league concept is brilliant - will attract newer audiences.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50