Golf Comes to Odisha: Dilip Tirkey's Historic Invitational Begins

The tournament offers a prize purse of Rs 20 lakh. The winner's cheque will be of Rs 2,54,000.

The tournament, featuring a field of 72 players, will be played over three rounds (54 holes) with the cut being applied after two rounds (36 holes). The top-36 players and ties will make the cut for the third and final round.

The field will feature leading professional golfers from all across India. The prominent local names competing include those of professionals Ankit Padhi and Satya Ranjan Pattanaik as well as amateur Pradeep Bhagat.

The PGTI NEXGEN Order of Merit is currently being led by Lucknow's Sanjeev Kumar, who has the season's earnings of Rs 7,08,740.

The winner of this year's NEXGEN Order of Merit will earn an exemption on the main tour (PGTI) for the 2026 season.

The PGTI has so far staged events across India in 17 States, 2 Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. With the staging of the Dilip Tirkey Invitational, the PGTI makes its first foray into the state of Odisha, thus further expanding its geographical footprint in the country to 18 States.

Dilip Tirkey, Indian Hockey Legend & Tournament Host, said, "I am truly delighted to host the Dilip Tirkey Invitational Golf Tournament, the first-ever professional golf event to be held in Bhubaneswar, at the Bhubaneswar Golf Club from November 4th to 6th. This tournament, being organised in association with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), marks an important milestone in bringing top-level golf to Odisha and promoting the sport in this region.

"I have taken up golf as my second sport after hockey, with a vision to nurture it at the grassroots level so that the new generation can consider it as a professional career option. I will continue to do my best to promote the game in our state and create more opportunities for young golfers to emerge.

"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude toKapil Dev, President of PGTI, for considering the Bhubaneswar Golf Club as the venue for the PGTI NexGen event. My sincere thanks also go to Game Start, Tamanna, and Nitai for their continued support and efforts in making this event a reality. Together, we look forward to showcasing Bhubaneswar as an emerging destination for professional golf and encouraging greater participation in the sport across the state."

Amandeep Johl, CEO, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), said, "We are delighted to further expand the reach of professional golf in India by staging an event in the state of Odisha for the very first time. This initiative is part of our larger objective of growing the game across the country and taking it to new centres through the PGTI NEXGEN Series.

"We thank the tournament host, Dilip Tirkey, for sharing PGTI's vision of promoting the sport in Odisha by extending his support to this event. Tirkey, a legend of Indian hockey and the current President of Hockey India, is also a passionate golfer who competed in a few PGTI tournaments a few years ago. We are truly grateful to him for taking the initiative to bring a professional golf tournament to his home state - a move that will undoubtedly inspire a new generation of golfers in Odisha.

"Odisha has been a powerhouse in Indian hockey, and we would now like to use this opportunity to tap into the state's immense golfing potential. We are expecting a thrilling week of golf as this event marks the season finale of the NEXGEN Series, with a lot being at stake for the professionals competing."

The Bhubaneswar Golf Club is the city's premier Golf Club with a 9-hole course and a plan to develop into a full-fledged 18-hole golf course in the future. Situated inside the info city, it is surrounded on one side by the country's leading IT companies and stretches of forests and hillocks on the other side, giving one of the most picturesque views from the pavilion of the club house.

- IANS