Saptak Talwar, Veer Ahlawat and Yuvraj Sandhu will carry valuable international experience into this week’s DP World India Championship, less than a fortnight after representing India at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
The Indian men returned from Japan without a medal, but four rounds against a strong Asian field offered an important examination of their games under the pressure of national representation. Talwar and Ahlawat finished tied sixth individually at nine-under 271, while Sandhu was tied 24th. India placed sixth in the team competition.
Their next challenge comes at Delhi Golf Club from October 15 to 18, where the US$4 million DP World India Championship will bring together one of the strongest fields assembled in the country.
Co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and DP World PGTI, the tournament features Rory McIlroy, defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, Open champion Ryan Fox and Major winners Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed and Aaron Rai. European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is also in the field.
Talwar carries domestic consistency to Delhi
Talwar enters the week as the leader of the DP World PGTI Order of Merit following an impressive domestic season.
The 27-year-old won the Indo-Rama Ventures Open and finished runner-up at the co-sanctioned DP World PGTI Open. He also placed third at the Andhra Open and recorded top-10 finishes in Jammu and Kashmir, Kolar and Chennai before sharing third with Ahlawat at the Bengaluru Open.
Talwar made a strong Asian Games debut, opening with a four-under 66 to sit third. He added rounds of 68, 71 and 66 to finish tied sixth.
His performances on the HotelPlanner Tour this season have provided further exposure to European conditions and competition. With the domestic Order of Merit offering a pathway to the DP World Tour, the Delhi event represents another important opportunity in his pursuit of playing rights for 2027.
Ahlawat arrives after another strong season
Ahlawat, the 2024 DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion, has built his campaign around consistency. Although he is yet to win this season, he has registered nine top-10 finishes in 12 starts, including seven inside the top five.
His Asian Games campaign gathered momentum after an opening 71. Rounds of 68, 65 and 67 carried him into a share of sixth alongside Talwar, demonstrating his ability to recover from a slow start and contend under pressure.
Ahlawat has also competed on the HotelPlanner Tour this year, experience that should help him adjust to the stronger field and elevated atmosphere in Delhi.
Sandhu brings DP World Tour experience
Sandhu arrives by a different route. The 2025 DP World PGTI Order of Merit winner earned promotion to the DP World Tour and has spent the season adapting to full-time competition in Europe.
His best result came shortly before the Asian Games, when rounds of 67, 68, 69 and 69 earned him a tied-13th finish at the FedEx Open de France. He then travelled directly to Japan, where rain restricted his preparation before the opening round.
Having competed regularly at DP World Tour level, Sandhu understands the standard required this week. The advantage in Delhi is that he will face that challenge in familiar conditions and with home support.
The trio will join an Indian contingent that also includes Shubhankar Sharma, Anirban Lahiri, Khalin Joshi and Shaurya Bhattacharya.
Talwar, Ahlawat and Sandhu have reached Delhi through different pathways, but their recent Asian Games experience gives them a common foundation: four competitive rounds under international pressure and the confidence that they can hold their own against elite opposition.
