DP World India Championship Shines, how about other Competitions?

The DP World India Championship has been an event I’ve been eagerly anticipating since the beginning of the year. Rory McIlroy had mentioned back in January about his almost certain participation, marking his first time playing in India. The tournament was worth the wait.

DP World India Championship winner Tommy Fleetwood

The inaugural event largely met expectations for a prestigious event but also had some disappointments. Here’s my list of winners and losers from this grand week of golf in India.

WINNERS:

1. Tommy Fleetwood – The current world No5 and FedEx Cup champion made an impressive showing at the tournament. Regardless of his initial ranking struggles, Fleetwood proved himself deserving of his place largely through his commendable behaviour and engagement with fans.

2. Keita Nakajima – With multiple victories and places in various Indian competitions, Nakajima has proven his talent and love for Indian golf. He is set to become Japan’s next Hideki Matsuyama.

3. Rory McIlroy – Despite not finishing in the top-10, the world No2 and the reigning Masters champion’s mere participation was a delight for the local fans.

4. DP World – As excellent sponsors, they helped put India on the international golfing map.

5. PGTI – The domestic tour, which co-sanctioned the event, took an active role beyond just providing sanctioning money.

6. Delhi Golf Club –The championship location held up well despite challenging weather conditions and served as a fair equalizer for all players.

7. Indian fans – Their excellent manners earned the respect of European Ryder Cup players. However, a minor shortcoming was the constant ringing of cell phones during the matches.

LOSERS:

1. Indian fans – While they were a winner in terms of behaviour, their inability to witness McIlroy’s famous drives was a loss.

2. Indian players – It was disappointing to see only five of Indian players making it to the weekend and none of them finishing in the top-30.

3. The Indian Golf Union – Their non-involvement during the biggest moment of their sport in the country was surprising and disappointing.

THE WEEK THAT WAS

Here are the results from the recent events:

• PGA TOUR: No event last week; Next event: Bank of Utah Championship
• LIV GOLF: No event last week; Next event: Liv Golf Riyadh (2026 season)
• DP WORLD TOUR: DP World India Championship won by Tommy Fleetwood
• LPGA: BMW Ladies Championship won by Sei Young Kim
• ASIAN TOUR: SJM Macao Open: Dominic Foos won, beating Wang Wei-hsuan in a playoff
• KORN FERRY TOUR: No event last week; Next event: Season restarts in 2026
• LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: No event last week; Next event: Wistron Ladies Open
• ASIAN DEVELOPMENT TOUR: No event last week; Next event: ADT Players Championship presented by The R&A
• PGTI TOUR: DP World India Championship