Indian Golf's Rising Stars Clash with Global Legends at DP World Championship

While international winners Shubhankar Sharma, Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur, Rahil Gangjee and Ajeetesh Sandhu, are the biggest Indian names in the field, there are also several young Indian players competing at the mega event who have made a mark on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in recent years and will now look to make an impression at the DGC come Thursday.

The tall and lanky Veer Ahlawat is the most prominent among these names. The 29-year-old Veer earned a berth on the DP World Tour in 2025 as a result of topping the PGTI Order of Merit last year. The four-time winner on the PGTI had also finished runner-up at the 2024 Indian Open to record his best international result.

"I've not had the best of seasons, but I feel this week presents me with a great opportunity to make an impact. I want to make this event count, as I know that a top-10 here would help me save my card on the DP World Tour. I would say I've fared decently in the last few events in Europe leading up to this week, so my form has been good," Ahlawat said.

"Indian golfers will have a distinct advantage this week, as we all know the DGC course well and have played here since our junior days. The layout at DGC has always favoured Indians," he added.

Yuvraj Sandhu, a winner on the Asian Development Tour, is another Indian golfer one needs to watch out for. The 13-time winner on the PGTI currently leads the PGTI Order of Merit with four titles to his name this season. The 28-year-old has picked up back-to-back titles on the PGTI twice this year, which is a testament to his dominance in India.

"I've just enjoyed some great form playing in India this year. I would love to carry that momentum into this week. I'm very excited to be here amongst this world-class field. Since the announcement of this tournament, this week has been the most eagerly awaited for all of us Indian golfers. DGC feels like a second home course for me, so I'm quite comfortable playing here," Yuvraj said.

Arjun Prasad, fresh from his maiden victory two weeks back, is ranked second on the PGTI's money list courtesy of his 11 top-10s this season. Prasad will also be in the limelight this week. Twenty-six-year-old Arjun, the most consistent performer on the PGTI this year, received a shot in the arm when he finally joined the winner's circle earlier this month to confirm his spot at the DP World India Championship.

"Playing the DP World India Championship serves as a huge boost in confidence for me, as making it to this event was one of my goals as soon as the tournament was announced. Competing in a field consisting of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood is a dream come true. I really look forward to playing alongside Tommy once again, who was my playing partner at the 2016 Indian Open when I participated as an amateur," Arjun said.

Besides the players mentioned above, there are a host of Indian names who have the talent and the potential to make a name for themselves at the DGC this week. This includes the likes of former PGTI Order of Merit champions Om Prakash Chouhan and Manu Gandas, both of whom have the experience of playing a season each on the DP World Tour.

Then there is Olympian and former PGTI Order of Merit champion Udayan Mane, who has also been in prime form this year. Udayan, a 12-time winner on the PGTI, has posted seven top-10s this season, which has placed him fifth on the PGTI's merit list. Twenty-two-year-old Shaurya Bhattacharya is a two-time winner who is currently fourth in the PGTI Ranking with a win and eight other top-10s this season.

Angad Cheema, a winner of five titles, is one of only three multiple winners on the PGTI this season. Angad has been a picture of consistency in recent times, having finished inside the top-5 of the PGTI Ranking over the last two seasons.

- IANS