New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): Saptak Talwar, India’s present No. 1 on thePGTI Tour, is aware of the following few weeks could possibly be life-changing for him and take the 27-year-old to the following degree within the sport.
Accoridng to a press launch, the event not solely boasts of a large $4 million prize, the best in India for the second 12 months working, however might additionally resolve the topper of the DP World PGTI Order of Merit, newly named because the ‘Race to DP World India Championship’.
Following a landmark association between the DP World PGTI and the DP World Tour, the winner of the home Indian Order of Merit will get a full standing on the primary Tour. The association can be the newest marker of the funding world logistics supplier DP World has made in Indian golf – a part of a wider sporting footprint that additionally contains cricket and a constant give attention to bringing extra younger folks into the game. Â
The occasion brings large advantages for each the followers and the Indian golfers. While the followers await a {golfing} feast with the likes of two-time Masters winner, Rory McIlroy, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood and former FedEx Cup winner, Viktor Hovland, and Major champions like Ryan Fox, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed and Bubba Watson, the highest Indian golfers realise that the DP World India Championship could possibly be a life-changer for them.
The newly constituted ‘Race to DP World India Championship’ is a contest to find out DP World PGTI Order of Merit Champion for 2026, DP World India Championship 2026 qualifiers and taking part in rights on the DP World PGTI for 2027. The race in its debut 12 months, will characteristic continuous {golfing} motion on the DP World PGTI calendar within the run-up to the DP World India Championship 2026. The prime 24 gamers of the standings will earn their spots for the DP World India Championship 2026 whereas the Top 60 gamers on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit who will retain their taking part in rights for the 2027 DP World PGTI season.
The 9 occasions of the second half of the season, which concludes with the inaugural Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship within the first week of October, will finalise 24 spots for DPWIC and the R2DPWIC for 2027 will run by means of the total DP World PGTI calendar from subsequent season.
Talwar at the moment holds a lead of greater than Rs. 20 lakhs over No. 2 Jhared Hack (US), however the latter just isn’t prone to play any extra occasions over the following few weeks in India. Also, Talwar is greater than Rs. 30 lakhs (twice what a participant earns for an everyday win in a Rs. One Crore occasion) forward of the following greatest Indian, Honey Baisoya.
Yet Talwar says, “The DP World PGTI Order of Merit is not a done deal. With the OOM finishing at DGC (DP World India Championship), anything can happen. We have four events left and the last one on DP World PGTI is the Kapil Dev Invitational, which has double the Prize Money and then there is the big one – the DP World India Championship, where the prize purse is almost 38-40 times more at $4 million. So, the top Indian golfer could well walk away with the Merit honours by doing well in DP World India Championship. And I see no reason why one of us cannot do that.”
However, as Amandeep Johl, CEO of DP World PGTI confirmed, “Only one fourth of that prize money will be counted towards the DP World PGTI Order of Merit.”
Talwar added, “I am also missing the Tour Championships (Kapil Dev Invitational) as I am off to Asian Games in Japan that week. So, the DP World India Championship can be a life-changer for me and many other Indian players.”
Talwar’s compatriots Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat, Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri can even be taking part in at DP World India Championship this 12 months.
Talwar, who early in his profession, additionally performed on the Canadian Tour, has now determined to attempt to prime the DP World PGTI OOM to get into the primary Tour in 2027.
There has been additional recognition within the type of a spot within the National three-man group for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, alongside Yuvraj Sandhu and Veer Ahlawat, who earlier than him had earned DP World Tour playing cards in 2026 and 2025.
This season Talwar has gained plenty of expertise as he performed plenty of occasions on the HotelPlanner (HPT), the second rung Tour in Europe, this season. At one level he had two probably pathways to the DP World Tour for 2027.
“I had set myself a goal or threshold to try for a card through HPT, but when I was not inside that I decided to get back to India and play the DP World PGTI, where I was leading,” says Talwar.
“Then there is the DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club. That golf course is close to my heart and for many others in India.
“I actually grew up on the B course, have seen each large occasion. As a junior I attended most of the clinics by world class gamers like Ernie Els and others. So, to be taking part in alongside the likes of Masters winners, Major champions and PGA Tour gamers is a superb alternative for us to showcase Indian expertise.”
While admitting that the current Indian pros have not won as much as the previous generation from Jeev Milkha Singh to Jyoti Randhawa and Arjun Atwal to Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Kapur and Shubhankar Sharma, Talwar added, “This occasion, the DP World India Championship is a sport changer for Indian golf. This might a catalyst for Indian golf. In 10 years, we’ll see this because the one which modified the panorama of Indian golf.”
“We have numerous good gamers, however they haven’t translated into wins. One win might ignite that fireside after which we may have a giant bunch of winners.”
Hemant Kumar Ruia, Country Manager, DP World (India) Subcontinent, said: “India is among the largest markets in our world community, and we stay targeted on strengthening our ports, rail and inland logistics community throughout the nation. Our dedication to India extends past our enterprise, and supporting the expansion of sport is a vital a part of that dedication.
We are significantly happy that the DP World India Championship can create genuinely life-changing alternatives for gamers like Saptak. With the newly named ‘Race to DP World India Championship’ offering a pathway to the DP World Tour, Indian golfers now have a transparent alternative to take their sport to the following degree. We are delighted to play our half in serving to make that attainable.”
This has been his large breakthrough 12 months for Talwar, although he received his maiden professional title in 2025. He added a second PGTI win on the Indo-Rama Ventures Open at Kalhaar and was second within the HotelPlanner occasion in India. Since then, he has been a primary contender for the DP World -PGTI Order of Merit, which has a number of advantages.
And, now the DP World India Championship might see Saptak Talwar take the following large step within the large and extremely aggressive world of golf.(ANI)