Raipur, Feb 2 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship 2026 jointly launched last month by the Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI) and the Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister of Chhattisgarh Arun Sao Ji, is scheduled to be played from February 3 to 6 at the pristine Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur.
The event is the 2026 season-opener of the PGTI. The prize purse for the event, which stood at INR 1 crore in the inaugural edition last year, has been raised to INR 1.5 crore for the second edition this year. The tournament week began with the Pro-Am event on February 1.
The tournament will have a field of 126 professionals. The event will be played in the stroke-play format consisting of four rounds of 18 holes each. The top 50 players and ties will make the cut after two rounds.
The top Indian professionals playing the tournament are Veer Ahlawat, Om Prakash Chouhan, Manu Gandas, Angad Cheema and Arjun Prasad, to name a few. There are 16 foreign professionals in the field from nine different countries.
Arun Sao, deputy chief minister and sports minister, Government of Chhattisgarh, said, “After the grand success of the inaugural edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship last year, the staging of the second edition of the event reflects our government’s commitment to promoting the sport of golf and positioning Chhattisgarh as an emerging hub for national sporting events. Such tournaments not only encourage sporting talent but also contribute to tourism, youth engagement, and the overall development of the state. Hosting such prestigious events showcases Chhattisgarh’s world-class facilities, organizational capability, and growing sports culture.”
Kapil Dev, president, PGTI, said, “The successful first edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship demonstrated the state’s growing interest in professional golf, and we are delighted to return for the second edition thanks to the continued support of the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports, Shri Arun Sao Ji, the Government of Chhattisgarh and all local stakeholders. Such tournaments play a vital role in providing competitive opportunities for our professionals while also contributing to the growth of the sport in emerging golfing destinations like Chhattisgarh. We look forward to another highly competitive event that will give our players a strong platform to perform and inspire the next generation of golfers in the region.”
Amandeep Johl, CEO, PGTI, said, “After PGTI’s highly successful first foray into Chhattisgarh last year, the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship has firmly established itself as an important stop on the PGTI calendar. The second edition reinforces our commitment to growing the game of golf across the country, taking it beyond traditional centres into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, in alignment with the Honourable Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat.
“Golf resonates strongly with a nation aspiring towards developed-country status. Guided by the clear strategic direction of the PGTI Board, led by President Mr. Kapil Dev and G20 Sherpa Mr. Amitabh Kant, the Tour continues to expand professional golf into newer regions while creating greater playing opportunities for Indian professionals.
“We are grateful to the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Sports, Shri Arun Sao Ji, the Government of Chhattisgarh and all local stakeholders for their support in staging the second edition of the Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship, featuring a 50% increase in prize money to INR 1.5 crore, with the winner earning INR 22.5 lakhs, marking an ideal start to the 2026 PGTI season.”
–IANS
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