The final places in the DP World India Championship will be decided this week as the Vishwa Samudra presents Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship powered by NALCO tees off at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort in Greater Noida.
The ₹2 crore championship, scheduled from October 7 to 10, is the last DP World PGTI event before the Top 24 in the Race to DP World India Championship are confirmed for the season-ending event at Delhi Golf Club.
Returning for its fourth edition, the Kapil Dev Invitational will serve as the Tour Championship for the first time. The field comprises 64 professionals, including the leading 60 players on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit.
Shubhankar Sharma headlines a strong Indian contingent that includes reigning Order of Merit champion Yuvraj Sandhu, current leader Saptak Talwar, Khalin Joshi, Veer Ahlawat, Honey Baisoya, Akshay Sharma and Rashid Khan.
Talwar will enjoy home-course advantage at Jaypee Greens, while fellow Greater Noida professionals Amardeep Malik and Arjun Sharma are also part of the field.
Ten overseas players representing eight countries add an international dimension. The notable entrants include Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja, Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool, Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek, Nepal’s Subash Tamang and Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain.
The final qualification battle for Delhi Golf Club is expected to add urgency throughout the week. Those around the Top-24 cut-off have one last opportunity to improve their positions, while the ₹2 crore prize fund—double that of a regular ₹1 crore DP World PGTI tournament—could produce significant movement in the standings.
The event also retains its distinctive Pro-Am format. A different group of amateurs will compete alongside the professionals in each of the four rounds, with every team comprising one professional and one amateur.
The professionals will play conventional stroke play, with their scores counting towards both the main championship and the daily Pro-Am. The amateurs will compete under a modified scramble format, and prizes will be awarded to the leading three teams after every round.
The combination of an elite field, a substantial purse and the final Top-24 qualification opportunity gives the tournament greater significance than its Tour Championship status alone. For several players, the four days at Jaypee Greens could determine whether their season continues at India’s richest DP World Tour event.
Photo – PGTI / (L – R): Indian star Shubhankar Sharma, Khalin Joshi (currently 2nd on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit), DP World PGTI President and Tournament Host Mr. Kapil Dev, 2025 DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion Yuvraj Sandhu and 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar, pose with the trophy of the Vishwa Samudra presents Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship 2026 powered by NALCO at the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida, on Tuesday.
