A few days before the start of the DP World India Championship, PGTI president Amandeep Johl was asked about his realistic expectations for home pros competing in the event. Out of 27 Indians in action, Johl expected “at least half” to make the cut. He said the first season blues had subsided and Indian golfers wouldn’t be as overwhelmed by the occasion and competition.
As it turned out, only six Indians proceeded to the money rounds, a minor uptick from the five that played the final two rounds at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) last year.
The experienced Anirban Lahiri led the way for the Indians with a T-23 (8-under) followed by Yuvraj Sandhu (T-34; 4-under), Om Prakash Chouhan (T-42; 4-under), Karandeep Kochhar (T-49; 3-under), and Saptak Talwar (T-55; 1-under).
DGC, with its narrow fairways and long roughs, is not an easy course to conquer as evidenced by the T-42 finish of six-time major winner Rory McIlroy. A lengthy rain interruption on the first morning didn’t help either, sending the schedule haywire with most golfers playing upwards of 25 holes each day on the last two days.
All of that, however, had little impact on winner Eugenio Chacarra who played 25 holes on Sunday and dropped a shot only once. The Indians, meanwhile, had their task cut out.
“It’s been a challenge, honestly. Even walking around today, I was thinking that when I come back next year, I might spend Monday with just a putter, taking an hour on every green and exploring the different sections,” said Lahiri.
“I’ve really struggled with a few greens in particular. The 18th is one of the hardest to read, and I’ve misread it most of the time. Everything has been cut very tight, including the fairways. With the rain this week and in the build-up, the grass hasn’t quite reached that lush stage of growth. The lies are very sandy, which is why you’re seeing players use hybrids, putters and less-lofted clubs around the greens,” Lahiri said after compiling a sedate, error-free final round on Sunday that included birdies on the first, 8th, 11th, and 14th holes.
There were flashes of brilliance from Yuvraj Sandhu as well, who blasted seven birdies in his last 10 holes to make the cut. The 29-year-old ended Round 3 even par and carded 4-under on the final day, 5-under for the tournament.
“It was a rollercoaster week. I started getting more comfortable during the latter part of the first 36 holes. There were rain delays, restarts and resumptions. At times I lost momentum, and at other times I found it again. I’ll take the positives. I’m hitting the ball really well, and honestly, I feel I’m very close to a big week in my career,” said Sandhu, the 2025 PGTI Order of Merit winner. Sandhu will head to the DP World Q-school to try and get his playing rights back on the main tour.
DP World extending its support to the tournament till 2035 means the Indian pros will not only have the opportunity to go up against a world-class field at home every year, but it will also be a chance for them to tune their game on the course where they have struggled over the past two years. With PGTI also pledging financial support to the top-30 players willing to compete on the Challenger tours, international pathways may multiply for those willing to grind hard.
That said, the sight of Indians repeatedly coming short even on home courses is baffling. It’s been a recurring theme at the Hero Indian Open as well where the last Indian win came in 2017.
“It’s not about talent. Trust me, our talent reserves run deeper than they appear,” assured Saptak Talwar, the PGTI Order of Merit winner. Saptak, having spent a season and a half on the DP World’s challenger tour—HotelPlanner Tour— has booked his card on the main tour thanks to topping the domestic Order of Merit.
“Everybody in the Indian contingent has played on the DGC numerous times,” he said of the 27 Indians who teed off here.
“However, there’s a lot of pressure and responsibility that comes with playing at home, and no one puts you under more pressure than yourself. We have had winners before and there will be winners in the future as well. I don’t think we have been able to deal with pressure in recent years. A big breakthrough win will come soon,” Saptak said.
For now though, Indians have missed their own party, again.
