Tommy Fleetwood is back in India, nine years after last teeing off at Delhi Golf Club, for the inaugural $4 million DP World India Championship, running from October 16-19.
Fleetwood, a seven-time DP World Tour winner and Olympic silver medallist, has fond memories of India. Early in his days, he tied for ninth at the 2011 Gujarat Kensville Challenge and added another top-ten at the 2013 Avantha Masters. His last appearance at Delhi Golf Club came in 2016 at the Hero Indian Open.
The DP World India Championship features the largest prize fund ever offered for a DP World Tour event in India and marks a significant moment for professional golf in the country, headlined by Fleetwood, a DP World Global Ambassador.
“I’m proud to represent a brand that understands the true meaning of growing the game that I love,” Fleetwood said. “Being able to take this big new event to India is proof that they fulfil their goals and give not only the players new opportunities but the people of India a great tournament on their doorstep, showcasing the beautiful country to the world.”
Tommy Fleetwood is a DP World Global Ambassador
Fleetwood, who was named as a DP World Global Ambassador in June 2024, emphasised the importance of India on the DP World Tour. “The sport in India is constantly growing, and it’s an important place where we have to be playing golf and visiting.
“DP World have been such an important figure in professional golf for a long time, and something like this shows they continue to grow and progress the game.
“They are such huge supporters of our sport… it’s fantastic to see them help grow the game in India with this new event.”
Fleetwood is no stranger himself in growing the game. He has established the Tommy Fleetwood Academy Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates where he is a member and now resides with his family after relocating here in 2022.
The 34-year-old is looking forward to returning to Delhi this month, both on and off the course. “It’s such an amazing place—the people, the food. I’m looking forward to soaking it all in. But mainly I’m aiming to play some good golf and entertain the Indian fans at an important point in the season.
“Delhi Golf Club is tight, challenging, and strategic. It’s a great leveller, where players with all styles of play can contend, which should make for an exciting week.”
Arep Kulal/Getty Images
The championship has attracted a world-class field, including career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy, 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry, two-time DP World Tour winner Viktor Hovland, and homegrown star Shubhankar Sharma. Co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), it follows the 2025 Hero Indian Open’s success and positions India as a premier destination for international golf.
As the eighth of nine events in the ‘Back 9’ phase of the 2025 Race to Dubai, the DP World India Championship will play a crucial role in shaping the final standings ahead of the DP World Tour Play-Offs, made up of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course.
Fleetwood, who topped the Race to Dubai rankings to become European Number One in 2017, and won the recent TOUR Championship on the PGA Tour, has won multiple prestigious events in the region, including two Abu Dhabi HSBC Championships and the Dubai Invitational. His return to India promises to be a colourful blend of competition, cultural celebration, and a continued push to grow the game in a key market for golf.
Main image: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
This article was featured in the October 2025 issue of Golf Digest Middle East. Click here for a digital issue of the full magazine
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