Greater Noida, Oct 6 (IANS) A top-class field featuring leading Indian stars like Shubhankar Sharma, reigning PGTI Order of Merit champion Yuvraj Sandhu, current PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar, Khalin Joshi, Veer Ahlawat and Honey Baisoya will be among the top contenders in the Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship to be played at the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort, Greater Noida, from October 7 to 10.
The Kapil Dev Invitational, which carries a prize purse of INR 2 crore, returns for its fourth edition this year but will be held as the Tour Championship for the first time.
The event will witness participation by 64 professionals, including the current Top-60 on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit. This is the last event before the Top-24 in the Race to India Championship are sealed for the season finale the following week.
The other leading Indian professionals in the field are Akshay Sharma and Rashid Khan. Besides Saptak Talwar, the other leading Greater Noida-based professionals in the field are Amardeep Malik and Arjun Sharma.
There are 10 foreign professionals competing from eight different countries. The foreign names in the field include Sri Lanka’s N. Thangaraja, Italy’s Michele Ortolani, Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain, Badal Hossain and Md Akbar Hossain, Nepal’s Subash Tamang, Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek, Uganda’s Joshua Seale, Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool and Japan’s Koichiro Ishika.
The tournament combines the Professional Championship with a thrilling Pro-Am component, bringing together professionals and amateurs in a dynamic and engaging way. All four rounds of the tournament will feature a separate set of amateurs, with a different Pro-Am competition being held in every round alongside the professional rounds.
Each Pro-Am team will consist of one professional and one amateur. The amateurs will play in the modified scramble format, while the professionals will play in stroke play like all other PGTI events. The professional’s score will be counted towards both the professional leaderboard and the Pro-Am championship. The top three Pro-Am teams stand to win prizes at the end of each round.
Kapil Dev. President, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), said, “I am delighted to see the Kapil Dev Invitational return for its fourth edition as the Tour Championship. It is particularly gratifying that the tournament brings together the best professionals on the Tour while also creating an opportunity for amateurs to experience the competitive environment of professional golf.
“The tournament promises intense competition as the PGTI’s top-60 professionals will not only be competing for the trophy this week, but also for the final opportunity to secure their place among the top-24 of the Race to DP World India Championship. The participation of amateurs across all four rounds adds more excitement and makes this a truly unique format.
“I am confident that the Kapil Dev Invitational 2026 will provide a memorable experience for the players, amateurs, partners and golf fans, and I wish all the participants the very best for the tournament.”
C. Sasidhar, Chairman, Vishwa Samudra Engineering, said, “This will be our third tournament with the DP World PGTI, but our first Tour Championship, making the occasion particularly special for us. It is also our first association with the Kapil Dev Invitational, a name synonymous with sporting excellence and a strong commitment to nurturing talent in India.”
Amandeep Johl, CEO, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), said, “After the extremely successful first three editions, the eagerly awaited Kapil Dev Invitational returns on the PGTI this year as the Tour Championship. The tournament promises to be a visual spectacle for golf fans as the PGTI’s elite field of top-60 competes for the prestigious trophy and the last opportunity to seal their spots in the top-24 of the Race to India Championship.
“The participation of amateur golfers alongside the professionals in all four rounds also adds an exciting dimension to the event. The tournament’s impressive field, prize purse and different format are set to offer a unique and memorable experience to the professionals, participating amateurs and golf fans alike. We wish the players all the best,” he added.
–IANS
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