Winners and Losers from the Inaugural DP World India Championship

The inaugural DP World India Championship delivered a hugely successful week of golf, but not without some notable high and low points. Here is a review of the winners and losers from the event, following the long-awaited arrival of star players like Rory McIlroy.

WINNERS

Winner	Rationale	Concrete Numbers / Key Detail
Tommy Fleetwood	The world No. 5 won the event, successfully securing his spot in the Race to Dubai Playoffs. His victory was vital as he was ranked 94th in the Race to Dubai rankings prior to the win, and only the top-70 qualify for the first playoff event.	Ranked 94th in Race to Dubai; World No. 5; Reigning FedEx Cup Champion.
Keita Nakajima	Continued his excellent form on Indian soil by finishing second at the DGC. He has a remarkable record in India, having won once and finished second twice at the Hero Indian Opens.	Finished 2nd at the DGC; Has 1 win and 2 runner-up finishes at the Hero Indian Open.
Rory McIlroy	The world No. 2 and reigning Masters champion was a key draw, validating the event’s stature, despite not finishing in the top-10.	World No. 2; Reigning Masters champion.
DP World	The title sponsor’s commitment elevated the tournament. They have sponsored the $10 million DP World Tour Championship for the last 16 years, signaling long-term support for the Indian event.	Sponsors the $10 million DP World Tour Championship; 16 years of sponsorship history.
PGTI	The domestic tour fully leveraged the event, led by Chairman Kapil Dev and Commissioner Amandeep Johl. They actively produced content and hosted guests.	Entire staff present; Led by Chairman Kapil Dev.
Delhi Golf Club (DGC)	The course was the “real star,” holding up remarkably well despite heavy pre-event rain and providing a challenging test at only 6,912 yards for a par-72.	Course length: 6,912 yards; Par: 72.
Indian Fans	Their large and appreciative galleries were praised by European Ryder Cup players for being “incredibly well-behaved.”	Galleries were large and appreciative.

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LOSERS

Loser	Rationale	Concrete Numbers / Key Detail
Indian Fans (Again!)	They missed the chance to see Rory McIlroy’s signature drives, as he and many other players chose not to use the driver on the tight DGC course.	McIlroy was among the many players who did not put the driver in the bag.
Indian Players	They performed below expectations against the quality opposition. Only five Indian players made it to the weekend (the cut), and none of them finished in the top-30.	Only 5 players made the cut; 0 finished in the top-30.
The Indian Golf Union (IGU)	The governing body was completely uninvolved with the tournament, failing to capitalize on the biggest moment for the sport in the country due to internal politics and a lack of ideas.	The IGU was not involved with the tournament.

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This inaugural championship proved India’s capability to host a top-tier golf event. Do you think the poor performance of the Indian players (with zero finishing in the top-30) will affect future local participation or spectator interest?

Disha Rojhe