DUBAI — The DP World India Championship will return in 2026, the DP World Tour announced Tuesday, confirming the event will continue as part of its long-term partnership with DP World. The tournament made its debut in India last month, drawing major attention and some of the largest gallery crowds recorded for golf in the country.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood were among the star players who participated. Fleetwood went on to win the championship at Delhi Golf Club, in what was the richest golf event ever held in India with a $4 million prize purse.
McIlroy, who recently had a new DP World Tour season-long award named after him, spoke warmly about his time in India. He said the hospitality and reception stood out during his visit.
“I enjoyed it, I had a great time in India,” McIlroy said. “I don’t know if I have one lasting memory. I guess I’ll remember not hitting the driver for four days. But the hospitality, the welcome, the generosity of the people there, it was absolutely amazing.”
He added that the high point of his week took place off the course.
“I would say the Diwali party on Friday night and being able to spend some time with Sachin Tendulkar, that was a pretty big highlight,” McIlroy said.
Yuvraj Narayan, Group Deputy CEO and Chief Financial Officer of DP World, said the tournament’s strong debut demonstrated the potential for long-term golf development in India.
“New events such as the recent DP World India Championship show how we are supporting the game’s growth and accessibility for the long term,” Narayan said. “This long-term investment demonstrates our belief in the Tour’s future and our commitment to making golf more inclusive and sustainable.”
McIlroy also noted that traveling with his young daughter has made international play more meaningful.
“It’s amazing to bring Poppy to some of these countries and show her different cultures,” he said. “Teaching her how to be welcoming and understanding of different cultures has been really important as well.”
As part of DP World’s ongoing involvement, the company’s grassroots initiatives will continue to use repurposed shipping containers to build community golf training hubs in various regions. DP World will remain both the Title Partner and Official Logistics Partner of the Tour until 2035 under the new agreement.
The DP World Tour held 42 tournaments across 26 countries this season, with expanding global reach and record prize funding.
The DP World Tour Championship in Dubai will also remain under DP World’s title sponsorship through 2035. (Source: IANS)
