Asia’s top golfers confirm participation at DGC Open

The second edition of the DGC Open presented by Mastercard will see a good number of Asia’s top stars in action next week at the historic venue with the event sponsors upping the prize fund by a full 50 per cent to $750,000 against half a million dollars last year.

To be played from March 16 to 19, the sixth event on the Asian Tour’s schedule event falls in a packed opening first quarter and will see one of the strongest Asian Tour full fields ever witnessed in India.

The entry list will include five of the current top 10 on the Asian Tour rankings who have confirmed participation. There will also be a good number of players who have won in the last few seasons and youngsters including defending champion Nitithorn Thippong.

Boosted by his win in Delhi, the baby-faced Thai would go on to add the International Series Singapore title to his trophy cupboard last year. Also in the field is his countryman Sadom Kaewkanjana, currently third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Gunn Charoenkul (fourth), Berry Henson (fifth), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (sixth) and Phachara Khongwatmai (10th).

Eight other overseas players who are past champions on Indian soil supplement the field plus a good number of home winners of Asian Tour events, some of them at the DGC itself.

This list includes legendary Thai Thaworn Wiratchant (twice), three-time Indian Open (2000, 2006, 2007) champion Jyoti Randhawa and Australia’s Scott Hend besides Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, who set a Tour record of 32-under par in a 72-hole tournament in India in 2009.

“The DGC is extremely proud of its legacy. It has been the oldest venue for international tournaments in India, promoted young talent for almost half a century and has produced numerous Arjun Awardees and champions, said club captain Raj Khanna ahead of the DGC Open.

“With golf now in the programme for the Olympics, Asian and Commonwealth Games, the DGC stays committed to creating more opportunities for the youth. The DGC Open presented by Mastercard is another step in motivating them,” he added.

Leading the home challenge will be 10-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, the most successful Indian on the Tour, whose most recent title was at the 2022 Mandiri Indonesia Open. Bhullar, whose only international win at home was at a Challenge Tour event, is however, still hunting for a maiden Asian Tour success on home soil. A crop of younger stars including Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat, Honey Baisoya, Viraj Madappa, Karandeep Kochhar and Chikkarangappa S. besides veterans S.S.P. Chawrasia and Shiv Kapur can expect good crowd support. Chawrasia, twice an Indian Open champion and Kapur have won at the DGC at least once and have a huge following. India’s top three amateurs and the DGC's club champion will also be seen in action at the prestigious event.