Rory McIlroy chasing record prize money as he arrives to play at tournament for first time ever
Rory McIlroy has touched down in India to tremendous excitement as the Masters champion ventures into uncharted territory and competes in the World India Championship this week. The world number two will serve as the headline act in both the DP World India Championship and December’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.
The Holywood golfer has discussed transforming golf into a more international sport and the DP World Tour have responded by establishing this as the most lucrative prize pot ever for an Indian tournament.
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“If everyone is talking about growing the game,” McIlroy said earlier this year, “especially if these investors are going to come into our game and they want a return on their capital, I think everyone needs to start thinking more globally around it.”
The Lodhi Course at the Delhi Golf Club plays host to this week’s competition, marking the first occasion it has featured on the DP World Tour since the 2016 Hero Indian Open. The championship boasts a total prize fund of $4 million (€3.46 million) up for grabs, whilst the victor will claim 835 Race to Dubai ranking points.
The winner will also receive the Lotus Trophy, crafted from crystal and incorporating two emblems of India – the Taj Mahal and the lotus flower – into its structure, reports Belfast Live.
“I haven’t hidden my sort of aspirations for national Opens and where I would like them to be, what their standing is in the professional game of golf,” McIlroy said. “The European Tour and DP World created a new event there. I was asked at the start of the year would I be interested in going, and I said yeah, that sounds amazing,” McIlroy recently expressed.
“The Hero Indian Open is always when we’re – it’s like March-April time. I’d love to play DLF and figure out my way around that place, but this one in Delhi in October made more sense.”
Fresh off his Ryder Cup triumphs and following his best ever season and achieving the career grand slam, McIlroy was greeted with a garland upon his arrival.
Bryson DeChambeau made his debut in India this spring and drew record crowds. McIlroy isn’t the only European Ryder Cup star in town, with Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland and captain Luke Donald also participating in Delhi.
