The 1X-PGA Tour Winner was supposed to be teeing it up at the inaugural $4 million DP World India Championship.  Instead, he’s stuck in Japan, dealing with unexpected visa issues just days before the event. While stars like Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, and Tommy Fleetwood light up Delhi Golf Club, Kim’s absence stands out. The brand-new tournament — the richest DP World Tour event ever held in India — was set to feature him in the field, but travel troubles have sidelined his debut on the Back 9 swing of the Race to Dubai.

Here, talking about Michael Kim, He took to X to share his woes a few hours ago. “I committed to play the DP World India champ, but I’ve had some visa issues and am still in Japan… Luckily, I think it’s going to work out, and headed to India now. No practice at all, have to go in blind. Let’s see how it turns out, haha. Will keep updating…” Kim posted, casually letting fans in on his rollercoaster of a week.

Michael Kim is in Japan, as he played the 2025 Baycurrent Classic last week at the Yokohama Country Club. While Xander Schauffele stole the spotlight with a dominant win and a trio of records, Kim quietly wrapped up his week with a 3-under-par final round, finishing tied for 56th. It wasn’t the flashiest result, but it showed glimpses of solid form, especially considering the travel demands and his recent transition to playing more on the DP World Tour.

Just last month, Michael Kim claimed his first DP World Tour title at the 2025 FedEx Open de France. It was an emotional moment that marked a major milestone for the Korean-American golfer, who’s spent most of his career grinding it out on the PGA Tour. This was his second win of his career, winning the first at the 2018 John Deere Classic.

The win and that Sunday round in Yokohama could prove more valuable than it looks on paper, especially now, as Kim scrambles to make it to Delhi in time for the start of the inaugural DP World India Championship.

The good news? Time is still on his side. With the official practice round scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, and the tournament teeing off on Thursday, October 16, Kim can make it for the first round in time if his visa troubles are sorted out. IT’s not ideal to play an event, especially a new course, without getting in a practice round, but for a player who’s been navigating global schedules, it’s just another curveball to manage.

Visa complications have disrupted golf schedules before, even for top players. In 2024, former Masters champion Ángel Cabrera was denied a U.S. visa, preventing his return to Augusta despite a lifetime exemption. South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence also had to withdraw from the Canadian Open earlier this year after delays in securing his travel documents. On the LPGA Tour, Brittany Henderson, caddie and sister to Brooke Henderson, missed the Meijer LPGA Classic when her visa expired.

But while Kim’s visa issues get sorted just in time, let’s take a look at what’s at stake at the DP World India Championship for the entire field this week.

What’s at Stake and How to Catch All the Live Action from the DP World Tour India Championship

This week’s DP World India Championship isn’t just a historic debut—it’s a high-stakes moment in the DP World Tour season. As the penultimate event in the “Back 9” stretch, it’s one of the final two chances for players to either secure their cards for 2026 or make a late push into the Race to Dubai Play-Offs.

Only the top 110 in the season-long standings after next week’s Genesis Championship in South Korea will retain their full Tour status. Meanwhile, those ranked inside the top 70 will earn their ticket to the season-ending play-offs, starting with the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (Nov 6–9) and ultimately the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai (Nov 13–16). With so much on the line, every shot this week matters.

Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage beginning at 6:30 am on Thursday, 7:30 am on Friday, and Saturday’s action starting on Sky Sports Main Event at 7:30 am before switching to Sky Sports Golf at 8 am. As for the marquee groups, Rory McIlroy will tee off at 7:25 am local time (2:55 am BST) alongside Viktor Hovland and Ben Griffin, while Michael Kim, if his visa comes through in time, is scheduled to go off at 7:45 am (3:15 am BST) with Dylan Naidoo and Indian local Manu Gandas.