New Delhi: Akshay Bhatia is in red-hot form and his sensational charge on the back nine at the tough Bay Hill course saw him reel in leader Daniel Berger before winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of PGA Tour’s signature events, in a playoff on Sunday. It was the 24-year-old’s third title on the toughest golf tour of the world, and each time he had come through the test after a playoff.
Bhatia, who has risen to a career-best world No.19 on the back of a great early season – two top 10 finishes capped by the win – was announced as the headline act on Tuesday in the Hero Indian Open, the DP World Tour event to be played at the DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurugram from March 26-29.
The prize purse has been increased to $2.55 million from $2.25mn last year, and the presence of Bhatia, global brand ambassador of sponsors Hero MotoCorp, will no sure elevate the tournament. The Players Championship this week will give another opportunity for the left-handed player to shine in a field led by world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and No.2 Rory McIlroy.
It will be the first trip to the country of his parents’ birth for Bhatia – his parents moved to the US from Delhi. And if the DLF course plays anywhere near as tough as it did last year – only three players finished under par – it should prove some show for fans keen to watch Bhatia in action, especially his sensational putting.
Unlike many top US players who have taken the college route to the PGA Tour, Bhatia turned pro at 17, won on the feeder Korn Ferry Tour before installing himself as an exciting young talent on the main tour. The youngest to make it to the Tour Championship in the last two years, he also made it to the Augusta Masters field in 2024 and 2025.
India has been the destination of top golfers of late, although its own players have struggled to make a mark on the DP World Tour. Twice US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau played in the International Series India event at the DLF course early last year, finishing second. Major winners McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Brian Harman along with Tour Championship winner Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland played in the DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Course last October. Bhatia will be the latest in that list. Sahith Theegala, the other US player of Indian origin who has rediscovered his form after injury, has not played in India.
Italy’s Francesco Molinari, winner of The Open in 2018 and a six-time winner on the European tour, will also be in the Indian Open field. Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, who emerged the surprise champion last year after getting in as a sponsor’s entry, Belgium’s Thomas Detry, a PGA Tour winner, and South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, twice winner on the DP World Tour recently, are in the field.
Former runner-up Veer Ahlawat, Yuvraj Sandhu, last year’s India No.1 Manu Gandas and Shaurya Bhattacharya are among the Indians in the fray. Subhankar Sharma, twice winner on the European tour but searching for a third since 2018, could also play on what is his home course.
“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,” Brijinder Singh, Indian Golf Union president, said.
