New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) standouts Gaganjeet Bhullar, Karandeep Kochhar and Shiv Kapur will look to carry their recent form into the India Championship, where they will face a star-studded international field at Delhi Golf Club in the USD 4 million event.
The trio will be up against some of the biggest names in world golf, including Rory McIlroy, six-time Major champion and two-time defending Masters champion, 2026 PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and 2026 Open champion Ryan Fox. The field also features Major champions Shane Lowry, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Danny Willett, taking the total number of Major winners to seven, with 13 titles between them.
The Indian players head into the championship after a productive run on the IGPL circuit. Bhullar and Kochhar finished first and second, respectively, at the Krishna Invitational Hyderabad presented by Krishna Punjab Raptors GC last week, while Kapur secured third place at the RVR Delhi Blue Bulls GC event a week earlier.
All three have also produced strong results in recent tournaments, with Bhullar and Kochhar finishing fourth and tied-fifth, respectively, in Delhi, while Kapur was runner-up and Bhullar tied-fourth in Ras Al Khaimah.
IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy said the upcoming championship would provide the league’s leading players an opportunity to measure themselves against international opposition. “Gaganjeet, Karandeep and Shiv have been among IGPL’s standout performers. They now get the chance to test that form against the world’s best, and their years of experience at Delhi Golf Club could be a big advantage.”
“This event will showcase the talent that heads the IGPL field each week in and outside India. We have had a series of events in Africa, the Middle East, and the IGPL Tour will now be travelling in India. But before that, our star players will compete alongside the best in the world,” he added.
Bhullar, 38, arrives in Delhi after claiming his fifth IGPL title and second of the 2026 season in Hyderabad. He carded rounds of 65, 66 and 65 for a 14-under 196 total, finishing three strokes ahead of Kochhar.
“I drove the ball really well, which was crucial on such narrow fairways,” Bhullar said, reflecting on his Hyderabad victory. “I’m looking forward to playing across India. I have spent most of my professional career competing on the Asian and European circuits, and the India Championship gives me another opportunity to test myself against a world-class field.”
A winner of 11 Asian Tour titles, Bhullar remains one of India’s most accomplished international golfers. His most recent Asian Tour victory came at the 2023 Indonesian Masters, where Kochhar finished runner-up.
Kochhar, meanwhile, has been building momentum through a series of competitive performances. The Chandigarh golfer produced a final-round 64 in Hyderabad, the lowest score of the day, to finish at 11-under 199. Earlier this year, he placed fourth at the Philippine Golf Championship and tied-fifth at the International Series Japan. He also finished tied-ninth at the IGPL Bharath Classic, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour.
Kochhar won an IGPL event in the UAE late last year and secured his Asian Tour playing status with victory at the Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour in Egypt in 2025.
Kapur, 44, brings experience and familiarity with the host venue. A former Asian Games individual gold medallist in 2002 and a three-time Asian Tour winner, he claimed the Volvo Masters of Asia in 2005 before winning the Yeangder Heritage and Panasonic Open India in 2017. The latter victory came at Delhi Golf Club, where his knowledge of the course could prove valuable.
Kapur has also been working on his fitness at a training camp in Thailand. His recent form includes a course-record-equalling 10-under 62 in the opening round of the IGPL Invitational in Ras Al Khaimah in September, underlining his ability to produce low scores.
With the India Championship bringing elite international competition to home soil, Bhullar will seek to extend his winning run, Kochhar will aim to build on his growing consistency, and Kapur will look to make his experience at Delhi Golf Club count.
The challenge will be formidable, but the trio’s recent performances offer India a strong local interest in a field packed with major champions and established international contenders.
–IANS
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