Synopsis
The prestigious 2025 India Open will showcase a remarkable field of 16 winners from the European Tour, led by Japan's defending champion Keita Nakajima. The event, co-sanctioned by PGTI and DPWT, begins on March 27, promising an exciting competition for a substantial prize purse.Key Takeaways
- 2025 India Open to host 16 European Tour winners.
- Defending champion Keita Nakajima leads the field.
- Event runs from March 27, co-sanctioned by PGTI and DPWT.
- Indian players eye the $2.25 million prize purse.
- Notable participants include Ollie Schniederjans and Eugenio Chacarra.
New Delhi, March 15 (NationPress) The 2025 edition of the India Open, the nation’s most prestigious golf tournament, is anticipated to showcase a remarkable lineup featuring 16 winners from both the previous and current seasons of the European Tour. Leading this exceptional field is defending champion Keita Nakajima from Japan, as this year's iteration of India's national open, co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and DP World Tour schedule (DPWT), is set to commence on March 27.
This impressive field will include a dozen champions from the 2024 DPWT Schedule, along with four winners from the 2025 edition. Notably, German player Marcel Siem, who secured a victory in 2023 and added another title in 2024, will be part of this competitive lineup.
Moreover, Indian golfers will present a formidable challenge, eager to seize the numerous benefits associated with the substantial USD 2.25 million prize purse.
The 24-year-old Nakajima, a former Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion, held the title of World No. 1 amateur for an impressive 87 weeks from November 2020 to September 2022. In 2023, he clinched three titles on the Japan Tour, ultimately topping the Japan Tour Order of Merit, which earned him a spot in the DPWT 2024 season.
In his debut full season on the DPWT, Nakajima triumphed at the Indian Open, overcoming India's Veer Ahlawat, Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg, and American Johannes Veerman, all of whom will return for another chance at this iconic event.
Nakajima aspires to replicate the success of fellow Japanese golfer Kenji Hosoishi, who famously won the HIO title consecutively in 1967 and 1968. Since then, both Jyoti Randhawa (2006 and 2007) and SSP Chawrasia (2016 and 2017) have achieved similar feats.
Additionally, Nakajima isn't the only former World No. 1 amateur in the lineup. American Ollie Schniederjans, who held the World Amateur No. 1 title for a continuous 41 weeks in 2014-2015, is also in the field.
Schniederjans recently broke a nine-year title drought by winning the International Series India, held at the same venue.
The Indian Open 2025 will also showcase another rising star, Eugenio Chacarra, a 24-year-old Spaniard who was the World No. 2 amateur in 2022 and has clinched two international titles.
