Major champions Reed, Watson set for India Championship

New Delhi [India], September 2 (ANI): Masters Champion and current Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed, along with fellow winner at Augusta National, Bubba Watson, have confirmed their participation in the star-studded 2026 India Championship, a release said.
The American duo will tee it up among a field of global stars including defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, Career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy and 2026 Open Champion Ryan Fox, when the highly anticipated event returns for its second edition at Delhi Golf Club from October 15 to October 18.
Major winners Shane Lowry and Justin Rose, European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald and Ryder star Viktor Hovland will all return to the DP World India Championship, while DP World Tour and PGA TOUR winner Min Woo Lee will make his debut. Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri are amongst the Indian stars aiming to delight the home fans.
Reed, who claimed his maiden Major title at Augusta National in 2018, is aiming to top the season-long Race to Dubai Rankings Delivered by DP World for the first time.
The three-time Ryder Cup star will arrive in Delhi seeking his third win of the season, after securing his first Rolex Series title at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, followed by his victory at the Qatar Masters two weeks later.
Reed said: "I really enjoy playing all over the world and I'm looking forward to teeing it up in the DP World India Championship for the first time. It looks like a great event and field, and it comes at an important time in the season, so I'm excited to see what we can do in Delhi," as per the release.
Two-time Masters winner Watson - who claimed the Green Jacket in 2012 and 2014 - will also arrive at Delhi Golf Club for the first time in October.
The left-hander, who boasts 15 career victories, said: "It's always fun to play in new events and this is one that I was happy to be able to add to my schedule. I've heard that Delhi Golf Club is a great test, and golf fans in India are very passionate, so I'm looking forward to the week," as per release.
Global smart logistics provider DP World and the DP World Tour launched the USD 4,000,000 DP World India Championship in 2025. Co-sanctioned with the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India, the tournament features the largest prize fund ever offered for a DP World Tour event in India and will once again take its place as part of the crucial Back 9 phase of the Race to Dubai.
Hemant Kumar Ruia, Country Manager, Subcontinent (India), DP World said, "Patrick and Bubba are two of the biggest names in golf, and their tournament debuts at the DP World India Championship further strengthen an already world-class field. India is a key strategic market for DP World, both for our business and for our commitment to building professional golf in the country. To attract players of this calibre in just the second year reflects the ambition we have for this tournament and for the game in India," as per the release.
The launch of the second edition of the DP World India Championship underscores India's growing influence as a destination for elite golf and as a strategic market for DP World. The new tournament follows the success of the long-running Hero Indian Open and further boosts the Tour's momentum in the region.
As the Tour's title partner since 2022, and after becoming the Title and Official Umbrella Partner of the PGTI earlier this year, the tournament complements DP World's broader sporting footprint in India, which includes partnerships with the Delhi Capitals, and grassroots programmes like the Second Life Container initiative and 'Balls for Birdies' campaign - both of which involve DP World donating golf balls, using its smart logistics network, to help grow the game and make it more accessible.
The DP World India Championship will be the eighth of nine events in the Back 9 phase of the 2026 Race to Dubai, building towards the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs and culminating in the DP World Tour Championship in November at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. (ANI)