Aaron Rai Set for India Championship Debut in Gurugram
Gurugram — PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai will make his India Championship debut this year, joining a field that includes several of golf’s biggest names.
Rai, ranked No. 17 in the world, won his first major title at Aronimink Golf Club in May and will now compete in the second edition of the India Championship.
The field includes defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy and 2026 Open champion Ryan Fox.
Rai, who has Indian and Kenyan heritage, will also compete alongside major champions Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Bubba Watson and Patrick Reed when the tournament returns to Delhi Golf Club from October 15-18.
European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, Viktor Hovland and DP World Tour and PGA Tour winner Min Woo Lee are also scheduled to compete. Indian players Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri will be among those seeking a home victory.
Rai, a four-time DP World Tour winner who also captured the 2024 Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour, said he was looking forward to playing in India.
“I’m excited to travel to Delhi for the India Championship this year. I’ve heard a lot about the event, and with connections to India throughout my family, there is a lot to look forward to across the week,” Rai said.
DP World and the DP World Tour launched the $4 million India Championship in 2025. Co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India, the event offers the largest prize fund for a DP World Tour tournament in India.
The tournament will again be part of the Back 9 phase of the Race to Dubai.
Hemant Kumar Ruia, Country Manager, Subcontinent (India), DP World, said Rai’s participation strengthens the event’s connection with Indian golf fans.
“Aaron Rai’s participation makes that connection particularly meaningful. As a US PGA Championship winner with Indian heritage, he represents a powerful link between India and the global golfing community,” Ruia said.
“Alongside fellow Major champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, his presence reflects the world-class calibre of the field and the growing stature of the tournament. Bringing players of this level to India gives fans the opportunity to experience truly world-class golf on home soil, while strengthening India’s connection with the global game,” he added.
The India Championship follows the long-running Hero Indian Open and adds to the DP World Tour’s presence in the region.
DP World has served as the Tour’s title partner since 2022 and earlier this year became the Title and Official Umbrella Partner of the PGTI.
The company’s sports partnerships in India also include the Delhi Capitals and grassroots initiatives such as the Second Life Container program and the “Balls for Birdies” campaign.
The India Championship will be the eighth of nine events in the Back 9 phase of the 2026 Race to Dubai, leading into the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs and the DP World Tour Championship in November at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. (Source: IANS)
