Indian Open set to tee off from March 26 with record prize purse

NEW DELHI: The Hero Indian Open 2026, scheduled to be held in Gurugram from March 26 to 29, will feature a world-class field led by Akshay Bhatia along with a record prize purse.Sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Indian Golf Union, the tournament’s prize purse has been increased to a record USD 2.55 million, up from USD 2.25 million last year.The star-studded field will be headlined by the 24-year-old Indian-American Bhatia, who recently reached new heights after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, USA.Currently placed second in the FedEx Cup standings, Bhatia — also the Global Brand Ambassador of Hero MotoCorp — will be making his first appearance in India with this tour.Another Hero MotoCorp Brand Ambassador, Rayhan Thomas, who has been competing on the Korn Ferry Tour for the past two years, has also confirmed his participation.The field will also feature Italy’s Francesco Molinari, a three-time PGA Tour winner. Molinari became the first Italian golfer to win a major when he triumphed at The Open Championship in 2018.The six-time DP World Tour winner has also represented Europe in three victorious Ryder Cup teams in 2010, 2012 and 2018 — securing the winning point at Le Golf National in Paris in 2018.The current list of confirmed players also includes reigning champion Eugenio Chacarra of Spain and Belgium’s Thomas Detry, winner of the Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour in 2025.Also in the field are current DP World Tour season winners including South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, who recently won two successive events, Spain’s Nacho Elvira, and Germany’s Freddy Schott, among others.Among the top Indian names in the field will be former runner-up Veer Ahlawat, Yuvraj Sandhu — the 2025 India No. 1 — Manu Gandas, and Shaurya Bhattacharya.Brijinder Singh, President of the Indian Golf Union, said, "The Hero Indian Open remains the crown jewel in the calendar of the Indian Golf Union. This year's tournament promises to be bigger than ever as we welcome a stellar field of leading international players along with India’s finest professionals.""The association between Hero MotoCorp and the Indian Open has grown stronger with every passing year and today stands as a proud partnership spanning more than two decades," said Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice President, Hero MotoCorp.