New Delhi, March 10 The 2026 Hero Indian Open, to be held in Gurugram from March 26 to 29, will feature a world-class field led by PGA Tour star Akshay Bhatia, and a record prize purse.
Sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the tournament's prize purse has been increased to a record USD 2.55 million, up from USD 2.25 million offered a year ago.
The star-studded field will include the 24-year-old Indian-American Bhatia, who has achieved new heights by winning the iconic Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2026 at Bay Hill, Orlando, USA.
Bhatia, who is now second in the FedEx Cup standings and is the Global Brand Ambassador for Hero MotoCorp, will be making his first trip to India with this tour.
Another Hero MotoCorp Brand Ambassador, Rayhan Thomas, who has been on the Korn Ferry Tour for the past two years, is also confirmed for the field.
The field will also include Francesco Molinari of Italy, who is also a three-time PGA Tour winner. Molinari became the first player from Italy to win a Major Championship when he triumphed at the 147th 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 – where he secured the winning point at Le Golf National in Paris.
The current list of confirmed players also includes the reigning champion Eugenio Chacarra of Spain, and Thomas Detry of Belgium, who won the Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour in 2025.
Also in the field are current season winners on the DP World Tour – South African Casey Jarvis, who won two consecutive events on the DP World Tour recently, Spain's Nacho Elvira, and Germany's Freddy Schott, among others.
Former runner-up Veer Ahlawat, Yuvraj Sandhu, the 2025 India No. 1, Manu Gandas, along with Shaurya Bhattacharya, will be among the top Indian names in the field.
Brijinder Singh, President, 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.