New Delhi: The iconic Delhi Golf Club (DGC) is set to host a $5 million DP World Tour event in October with former world No.1 and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy in attendance, making the upcoming Rolex Series event the most expensive golf tournament -- in terms of prize money -- ever hosted by the country.

The club has received an in-principle agreement from the DP World Tour for a three-year association and a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed when DP World Tour’s Chief Tournament Business Officer Ben Cowen is scheduled to visit on January 22. A timeframe from October 13 to 19 has been designated for a tournament that has yet to be named.

"This will be a completely new addition to the European calendar. It represents a significant achievement for the DGC, made possible through the efforts of our president, Raj Khosla," stated club captain Vikram Seth.

"This is a significant boost for the club, which has not hosted a major international event in two years. The Hero Indian Open, another DP World Tour event in the country, offers a prize purse of $2.25 million. With a prize fund of $5 million, we anticipate that many prominent figures in international golf will come to India. We have made a special request for Rory McIlroy to participate, and we are optimistic that he will attend," he continued.

Following its renovation by the esteemed Gary Player in 2019, the club hosted the inaugural two editions of the DGC Open; however, the tournament, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, has not returned since. "It is indeed regrettable to have lost the DGC Open for various reasons. Previously, we lost the Indian Open to the DLF course in Gurugram, but securing a new European Tour event of this magnitude will help offset those losses," Seth remarked.

This development arises just three weeks prior to the anticipated Asian Tour and LIV Golf-backed $2 million International Series – India, which will feature a host of LIV Tour stars, including two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau. Whether LIV’s entry into India influenced the DP World Tour’s recent collaboration with DGC remains uncertain, but informed sources suggest that this possibility should not be dismissed.

The strategic partnership between the DP World Tour and PGTI will provide top Indian golfers with the chance to compete against the best in their home environment. “We will certainly secure some confirmed slots for the event. I will endeavor to advocate for as many spots as possible for domestic players when I meet Ben later this month,” assured PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl. 

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