Rashid Khan ended a seven-year title drought with a composed final-round five-under 67, clinching the ₹1 crore Telangana Open 2026 by three strokes at Vooty Golf County in Vikarabad on 28 August. The 35-year-old Delhi golfer completed his four rounds at 23-under 265 (66-67-65-67), securing his 15th professional title and his 11th victory on the DP World PGTI circuit.

How Rashid Turned the Round Around

Rashid began the final round two shots behind overnight leader Angad Cheema and stumbled immediately, dropping shots on each of the opening two holes. He responded with three consecutive birdies from the third through the fifth, then added another on the eighth to seize a two-to-three shot lead at the turn — aided by Cheema's three bogeys on the front nine.

He extended his advantage with three more birdies in a row from the 10th through the 12th. The decisive moment, by Rashid's own reckoning, came on the 15th hole, where he converted a 12- or 13-foot par putt while Cheema, inside 10 feet for birdie, could not capitalise. Windy conditions on the closing stretch tested the field, but Rashid remained composed, calling the tee shot on the 18th 'one of the toughest I have ever faced.'

Leaderboard and Prize Money

Delhi's Honey Baisoya (72-65-66-65) carded the best final-round score among the leading contenders — a seven-under 65 featuring nine birdies and two bogeys — to finish runner-up at 20-under 268, earning ₹10 lakh. Baisoya, winner of the DP World Players Championship at Qutab Golf Course in February, now sits third in the season rankings with total earnings of ₹51,72,092.

Gurugram's Veer Ahlawat (68-68-68-65), the 2024 DP World PGTI Rankings champion, also closed with a 65 to share third place at 19-under 269 alongside overnight leader Angad Cheema (70-61-65-73), whose one-over final round dropped him four strokes behind Rashid. Rashid collected ₹15 lakh and moved to sixth on the 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit, taking his season earnings to ₹44,95,509.

What Rashid Said

'I can't describe how I'm feeling right now,' Rashid said after his round. 'It has been seven years since my last win, and I struggled a lot with my game during that period. I went through many ups and downs, but I also learned a great deal. Once you come through a phase like that, you understand what you need to do.'

On the shaky start, he added: 'Even after starting bogey-bogey, I knew that if I stuck to my game plan and continued giving myself birdie opportunities, I could recover. The birdies on the third, fourth and fifth were important turning points.'

The Long Road Back

Rashid's previous DP World PGTI win came at the PGTI Players Championship presented by Chandigarh Golf Club in May 2019. A two-time Asian Tour winner and three-time PGTI Order of Merit champion, he had endured a difficult stretch before this breakthrough, making Saturday's victory at Vikarabad particularly significant in the context of his career.

Rankings Picture

Current DP World PGTI Rankings leader Saptak Talwar (72-68-71-70), who spent the summer competing on the HotelPlanner Tour, finished tied 24th at seven-under 281. Talwar earned ₹1,14,450 to extend his lead at the top of the rankings, taking his season earnings to ₹87,47,684. With the season still in progress, the Order of Merit race remains open.