Team Europe made history by winning the 2025 Ryder Cup for the first time on foreign soil since 2012. Led by captain Luke Donald, the team clinched a narrow 15-13 victory over the hosts at Bethpage Black. “Incredible”, “dedicated”, “amazing”, and “the greatest Captain that’s ever lived” were some accolades lauded on Luke. It’s been only a couple of weeks since their victory, and Donald will reunite with Rory McIlroy and 3 other Team Europe members at the inaugural DP World India Championship.

The former World No. 1 will join Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, and Shane Lowry on the field. It will be the first time the winning Ryder Cup captain will tee off after the biennial event. Moreover, it will also be his debut in India.

Sharing the excitement, Donald said, “It’s incredibly exciting to be playing in the inaugural DP World India Championship. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic field, and I’m sure the event will be a great addition to the Race to Dubai. It’s always a pleasure to play in a new location, and I’m looking forward to teeing it up in front of the fans in Delhi.”

The DP World Tour wrote another chapter by announcing the inaugural $4 million event hosted at the Delhi Golf Club. The announcement made in April followed the success of the 2025 Hero Indian Open. This also highlights the efforts the DP World Tour is making to encourage golf in Asian countries. A few days earlier, the inaugural Jakarta International Championship was held at Damai Indah Golf.

Ben Cowen, DP World Tour Chief Tournament & Operations Officer, said, “We are delighted to extend our commitment to golf in India by establishing the new DP World India Championship alongside our valued partner DP World.” The tour, co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will take place from October 16-19, 2026.

While Luke Donald is the most recent addition to the field, four other Ryder Cup stars have already confirmed their participation. Rory McIlroy’s confirmation came within a month of the announcement. The DP World India Championship’s official X handle shared a video post, writing, “The Masters Champion is coming to Delhi 🚨 @McIlroyRory is confirmed for the inaugural @DP_World India Championship.”

After McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood joined the field in August. Following him were Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry, who confirmed participation in September.

While this will be his first time playing in India, Donald has already enjoyed success in Asia. He won 2 of his 17 worldwide victories. He performed exceptionally in the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan in 2012 and 2013. The first title came with a score of 268 (−16). He finished five strokes ahead of the runner-up, Hideki Matsuyama. In the following year, the Ryder Cup captain won by six strokes over Kim Hyung-sung with 270 (−14).

The DP World India Championship features many popular golfers besides Luke Donald and his Ryder Cup teammates.

Field for the inaugural DP World India Championship

American major winner Brian Harman, who won the 2023 Open Championship with a commanding 6-stroke lead, will also be at the Delhi Golf Club. Fans could also watch another Ryder Cup star from the American team, Ben Griffin. Griffin made his Ryder Cup debut at New York and won a singles match against Rasmus Højgaard.

Many former stars, including Nicolas Colsaerts, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Ross Fisher, Andy Sullivan, and Bernd Wiesberger, join the current European Ryder Cup team members on the field. 2025 Open de France winner, Michael Kim, and 5x DP World Tour winner Thriston Lawrence will also tee it up in Delhi. Some other international names include Martin Couvra, Adrien Saddier, Richard Mansell, John Parry, Jordan Smith, and Eugenio Chacarra.

Besides these international stars, over 20 Indian golfers will also aim to win a title on home soil. This includes Shubhankar Sharma, Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur, and Veer Ahlawat. Ahlawat secured his 2025 DP World Tour card by topping the previous season’s PGTI Rankings.

This blend of seasoned veterans and rising stars promises a highly competitive field.