Yuvraj Singh Lauds IGPL Team Format as $2B Golf Tourism Push Unveiled

The teams were announced at a glittering function at The Oberoi, New Delhi, by cricket legend Yuvraj Singh and the CEO of the IGPL, Uttam Singh Mundy. As Mundy highlighted the need to promote golf to boost both player development and tourism in India, Yuvraj hailed the team component in a sport that has traditionally been an individual game.

Amidst the announcements, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Tourism, Government of India, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the IGPL for its landmark commitment to mobilise US$2 billion in investment towards the development of world-class golf tourism destinations across India.

The Minister described the commitment as a watershed moment for Indian sports tourism and a resounding endorsement of India's emergence as a high-value global destination.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Shekhawat said, "The Indian Golf Premier League's pledge to bring two billion dollars of investment into golf tourism infrastructure is not merely a sporting initiative-it is a strategic contribution to Brand India. Nations like Mauritius, Vietnam, and South Africa have demonstrated how golf can transform landscapes into internationally coveted destinations, attracting high-net-worth visitors and year-round tourism revenue. IGPL is now positioning India to lead that story in Asia.

"Prime Minister Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 demands that we build infrastructure that attracts global capital and creates enduring employment."

15 events in 2026

The season will feature 15 events; ten will be held in India across the franchises' respective home cities, and five will be held internationally. The first three international venues will include Mauritius, South Africa, and Congo later this month.

Each team consists of four players. At each event, players will compete for individual prizes from a pool of ₹1.5 crore while simultaneously representing their team. The two best scores from each team every day will count towards the team placings. Points will be accumulated over the season, at the end of which the top three teams will be decided and rewarded.

Yuvraj Singh, co-founder of IGPL, said: "The team component will make the game exciting with its fast pace. I am thrilled by the plans to grow the game, which holds so much potential."

Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO of IGPL, said: "We are hosting 15 events spread out over the year. The periods between IGPL events will allow our players to compete in international events on the International Series, Asian Tour, and other global Tours. Our goal is to see them reach the highest levels, including the International Series and the LIV Golf League."

He also emphasised that the hallmark of the IGPL is its commitment to growing the game. He added, "We will enhance the golf ecosystem by increasing the number of golf courses and driving ranges to make the sport accessible to all. Our 'Golf on Wheels' programme will see large vehicles equipped with gear and coaches visiting schools to promote the game at the grassroots level."

The IGPL franchise squads are as follows:

Atri Mumbai GC: Aman Raj, Udayan Mane, Aadil Bedi, and Tushar Pannu

Auro Realty Goa GC: Varun Chopra, Saarthak Chhibber, Aalaap I L, and Kanav Chauhan

Flying Man Kolkata GC: Varun Parikh, Sukhman Singh, Syed Saqib Ahmed, and Kartik Sharma

Green Fuels Vizag GC: Manav Shah, Dharma M, Milind Soni, and Danish Verma

Golf Konnekt Bengaluru: Veer Ganapathy, Sunhit Bishnoi, Trishul Chinnappa, and Sudhir Sharma

Honer Homes Gurugram GC: Pukhraj Singh Gill, Shaurya Binu, Shat Mishra, and Digraj Singh Gill

Krishna Punjab GC: Karandeep Singh Kochhar, Kapil Kumar, Harendra Gupta, and C Muniyappa

Phoenix Hyderabad GC: Sachin Baisoya, Raghav Chugh, Arjun Bhatti, and Ranjit Singh

RVR Delhi GC: Shiv Kapur, Aryan Roopa Anand, Chiragh Kumar, Gaurav Ghei

Vimtra Chennai GC: Gaganjeet Bhullar, Yashas Chandra M S, Samarth Dwivedi, and Harshjeet Singh Sethie.

- IANS