Gaganjeet Bhullar, Karandeep Kochhar, and Shiv Kapur — three of India's most prominent professional golfers and Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) standouts — will carry strong recent form into the India Championship, a USD 4 million event at Delhi Golf Club beginning 12 October 2026. The trio will face a formidable international field that includes Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai, and Ryan Fox, among others, in what is shaping up to be the most high-profile golf event on Indian soil in recent years.

The International Field

The India Championship boasts seven Major champions, collectively holding 13 Major titles. Headlining the field is Rory McIlroy, a six-time Major champion and two-time defending Masters champion. Alongside him are Aaron Rai, winner of the 2026 PGA Championship, and Ryan Fox, the 2026 Open champion. The roster is further bolstered by Major winners Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, and Danny Willett. For the Indian trio, this represents a rare and significant opportunity to benchmark their games against a world-class field on home turf.

Indian Challengers in Form

Bhullar, 38, arrives at Delhi Golf Club riding a wave of momentum after claiming his fifth IGPL title — and his second of the 2026 season — at the Krishna Invitational Hyderabad last week. He carded rounds of 65, 66, and 65 for a 14-under 196 total, finishing three strokes ahead of Kochhar. “I drove the ball really well, which was crucial on such narrow fairways,” Bhullar said after the Hyderabad victory. “I’m looking forward to playing across India. I have spent most of my professional career competing on the Asian and European circuits, and the India Championship gives me another opportunity to test myself against a world-class field.”

Kochhar, the Chandigarh-based golfer, finished runner-up in Hyderabad with a final-round 64 — the lowest score of the day — closing at 11-under 199. His recent record also includes a fourth-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a tied-fifth at the International Series Japan. He secured his Asian Tour playing status with victory at the Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour in Egypt in 2025.

Kapur, 44, brings veteran experience and crucial familiarity with the host venue. A former Asian Games individual gold medallist (2002) and three-time Asian Tour winner, he notably triumphed at the Panasonic Open India in 2017 — held at Delhi Golf Club — a fact that could give him a tactical edge this week. His recent form includes a course-record-equalling 10-under 62 in the opening round of the IGPL Invitational in Ras Al Khaimah in September, suggesting his game is in sharp order. He has also recently completed a fitness-focused training camp in Thailand.

What IGPL Leadership Said

IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy highlighted the significance of the matchup. “Gaganjeet, Karandeep and Shiv have been among IGPL’s standout performers. They now get the chance to test that form against the world’s best, and their years of experience at Delhi Golf Club could be a big advantage,” he said. Mundy added that the event marks a homecoming of sorts for the league after a run of events across Africa and the Middle East. “This event will showcase the talent that heads the IGPL field each week in and outside India,” he said.

Context and What's at Stake

A winner of 11 Asian Tour titles, Bhullar remains one of India’s most accomplished international golfers, with his most recent Asian Tour win coming at the 2023 Indonesian Masters, where Kochhar finished runner-up — a result that underlines the competitive dynamic between the two. For Kapur, the India Championship offers a platform to demonstrate that experience and course knowledge can compensate for the age gap with some of the younger international contenders.

Notably, the event arrives as Indian golf is in an expansive phase, with the IGPL circuit having staged events across multiple continents before returning home. With three credible Indian challengers, a USD 4 million prize fund, and a field featuring seven Major champions, the India Championship at Delhi Golf Club could mark one of the most consequential weeks in Indian golf’s recent history. Whether Bhullar, Kochhar, or Kapur can overcome the assembled international firepower remains to be seen, but the conditions — form, venue familiarity, and crowd support — are as favourable as they are likely to get.