Rory McIlroy returns to action for the first time since Team Europe’s historic Ryder Cup success at this week’s inaugural DP World India Championship, live on Sky Sports.
McIlroy headlines a strong field for the new event, co-sanctioned between the DP World Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), three weeks on from playing a key role in Europe’s impressive 15-13 victory over Team USA at Bethpage Black.
The world No 2 contributed 3.5 points for Europe in their successful title defence, the first away win for either team since 2012, with McIlroy now joined in India by three of his Ryder Cup teammates and victorious captain Luke Donald.
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Highlights of the key moments from the final day of the Ryder Cup from Bethpage Black, where Team Europe held off an impressive fightback by Team USA
Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland and Shane Lowry all also feature, while Donald tees it up after joining Tony Jacklin as the only European captain in history to win back-to-back Ryder Cups.
We take a closer look at all you need to know about the newest event on the DP World Tour schedule…
Who else is playing?
McIlroy is one of four players from the world’s top 15 in action, with former Open champion Brian Harman and two-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin – both part of Team USA’s Ryder Cup team – also in the field.
Fellow American Michael Kim features, having won his breakthrough DP World Tour title in France last month, with former European Ryder Cup players Nicolas Colsaerts, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Ross Fisher, Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger are also involved.
What is at stake for McIlroy?
A dramatic play-off victory at the Amgen Irish Open boosted his hopes of a seventh Order of Merit on the DP World Tour and third in a row, which would leave him within one of Colin Montgomerie’s record.
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Iona Stephen and Paul McGinley look at how Rory McIlroy eagled the 18th hole in regulation before edging out Joakim Lagergren in a play-off at the Irish Open
He already has four worldwide wins during a memorable 2025, including major glory at The Masters to complete the career Grand Slam, with the Northern Irishman top of the Race to Dubai standings once again.
McIlroy’s lead has been cut to just 393 points after Marco Penge won the Open de Espana on Sunday, but this week’s event provides the chance to restore a larger advantage to take into next month’s DP World Tour Play-Offs.
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Highlights from day four of the Open de Espana presented by Madrid, where Marco Penge won his third event of the year
Where is it being hosted?
The Lodhi Course at the historic Delhi Golf Club hosts this week’s event, the first time it has been used on the DP World Tour since the 2016 Hero Indian Open.
The course has been redesigned and used for multiple Asian Tour events since, with the par-72 layout a parkland-style golf course described as having “dense vegetation that borders every hole”.
What is the prize money on offer?
The tournament has a total of $4 million (£3.01 million) on offer – the largest prize fund ever offered for a DP World Tour event in India.
The individual prize breakdown has yet to be confirmed, while the winner will get 835 Race to Dubai ranking points.
The champion also receives the Lotus Trophy, made from crystal and having two symbols of India – the Taj Mahal and the lotus flower – within its design.
Who will be the first player to win the Lotus Trophy?
Why else is this week important?
The DP World India Championship is the penultimate event of the ‘Back 9’ schedule on the DP World Tour, making it one of two tournaments left for players to either extend their season or secure their playing privileges for next year.
Only the top 110 in the Race to Dubai rankings after next week’s Genesis Championship in South Korea will guarantee they retain their DP World Tour card for another year, while the top 70 in the standings after the two events will qualify for the season-ending Play-Offs.
The top 70 players at that stage get to feature in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from November 6-9, before the top 50 available players – after that week – progress to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai from November 13-16.
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Highlights from the final round of the 2024 DP World Tour Championship, where Rory McIlroy impressed
How can I watch live on Sky Sports?
There is extended live coverage from all four rounds of the DP World India Championship, with coverage getting under way at 6.30am on Thursday and 7.30am for Friday’s second round on Sky Sports Golf.
Saturday’s action starts at 7.30am on Sky Sports Main Event before joining Sky Sports Golf at 8am, following the conclusion of the third round of the LPGA Tour’s BMW Ladies Championship, while Sunday’s coverage begins at 7.30am on Sky Sports Golf.
All four rounds of the BMW Ladies Championship are also live from 4am each day on Sky Sports Golf, with the St Andrews Links Collegiate – a university golf event held on the Old Course at St Andrews – is live from 2pm each day from Monday to Wednesday.
Who will win the DP World India Championship? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf
