Victorious European Ryder Cup Captain Donald ready for DP World India Championship

New Delhi, Oct 8 (IANS) European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald is set to tee it up for the first time since leading his side to historic back-to-back victories over the United States when he brings further star power to the $4 million DP World India Championship this October.

Donald captained Europe to a 15-13 win at Bethpage Black to secure a first Ryder Cup victory on away soil since 2012. Following on from the famous victory at Marco Simone two years ago, he has become only the second European Captain to win home and away after Tony Jacklin in 1985 and 1987.

The former World Number One joins an impressive DP World India Championship field that already includes some of the stars of his European sides from Rome and New York - Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, and Shane Lowry.

The landmark tournament, taking place at Delhi Golf Club from 16-19 October, boasts the largest prize fund ever offered for a DP World Tour event in India. Tickets are available now, here.

Seven-time DP World Tour winner Donald will make his professional debut in India when he takes to the Lodhi Course at the historic Delhi Golf Club. He has enjoyed past success in Asia as part of his storied career, counting victories at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan in 2012 and 2013 amongst his 17 worldwide victories.

Donald said, “It’s incredibly exciting to be playing in the inaugural DP World India Championship. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic field, and I’m sure the event will be a great addition to the Race to Dubai. It’s always a pleasure to play in a new location, and I’m looking forward to teeing it up in front of the fans in Delhi.”

The DP World India Championship, co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), marks a new chapter for professional golf in India. It follows the success of the 2025 Hero Indian Open and positions India as a premier destination for world golf.

As well as the European Ryder Cup Captain and four of the stars of his team, the global field set to gather at Delhi Golf Club includes American Major winner Brian Harman and his compatriot and two-time PGA TOUR winner Ben Griffin, who made his Ryder Cup debut in New York this year.

Former European Ryder Cup players Nicolas Colsaerts – who celebrated his 500th DP World appearance last week – Rafa Cabrera Bello, Ross Fisher, Andy Sullivan, and Bernd Wiesberger will also tee it up. They will be joined by a host of winners on the 2025 Race to Dubai, including American Michael Kim, who claimed his first DP World Tour win in France last month, five-time DP World Tour winner Thriston Lawrence of South Africa, Martin Couvra and Adrien Saddier of France, Englishmen Richard Mansell, John Parry and Jordan Smith and Hero Indian Open winner Eugenio Chacarra of Spain.

More than 20 Indian players will be aiming to impress on home soil, including two-time DP World Tour winner Shubhankar Sharma, 18-time global winner Anirban Lahiri, seven-time global winner Shiv Kapur, and Veer Ahlawat, who secured his 2025 DP World Tour card by topping the previous season’s PGTI Rankings.

--IANS

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