Hovland, Fox Set for Showdown at DP World India Championship

By Our Correspondent

DIGBOI: The DP World India Championship is set for an even bigger global spotlight this year, with international stars Viktor Hovland and Ryan Fox confirming their participation in the second edition of the tournament, scheduled to be held at the Delhi Golf Club from October 15-18.

The addition of the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour winners significantly strengthens an already formidable field featuring defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, two-time reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Major winner Justin Rose, transforming the USD 4 million event into one of the most anticipated tournaments on the 2026 golfing calendar.

This was stated during a formal communication by the DP World PGTI to the Sentinel on Tuesday afternoon.

Notably, the championship has rapidly emerged as a marquee stop on the DP World Tour following its successful debut in 2025. Co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the tournament boasts the largest prize fund ever offered for a DP World Tour event in India and will once again play a pivotal role in the Race to Dubai as the eighth of nine events in the decisive Back 9 stretch.

For Norway's Viktor Hovland, the return to Delhi carries unfinished business. The Ryder Cup star produced a tied-sixth finish during last year's inaugural edition and now returns to a venue where he enjoyed both the competition and the atmosphere.

The 28-year-old remains one of the most influential figures in modern European golf, having become the first Norwegian golfer to secure victories on both the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR. He was also instrumental in Europe's back-to-back Ryder Cup triumphs in Rome in 2023 and New York in 2025.

“I really enjoyed the experience at the DP World India Championship last year. We had a lot of fun both on and off the golf course, and the welcome we received everywhere we went was incredible, so I can’t wait to get back to Delhi in October,” Hovland said.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Ryan Fox is preparing to make his long-awaited professional debut in India. Arriving with growing momentum and international recognition, Fox has established himself among the game's elite after claiming two PGA TOUR titles in 2025 and four DP World Tour victories overall.

The reigning RBC Canadian Open champion and 2022 Seve Ballesteros Award winner said the tournament's rising reputation played a major role in his decision to compete.

“I’m excited to play in India for the first time, and especially after hearing such great things about the DP World India Championship. It sounds like a fantastic event, played on an interesting, historic course, and I’m looking forward to everything about the week,” Fox said.

However, the significance of the tournament extends far beyond the fairways. Organisers view the championship as a powerful symbol of India's growing influence in world golf and its emergence as a strategic market for global sporting investments.

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