Gurugram, 25-03-2026

Bhatia, Molinari, Chacarra, top attractions at Hero Indian Open; Shubhankar, Yuvraj, Rayhan, lead Indian challenge

The urge to keep pushing, and getting better, has remained a constant for Francesco Molinari. The 44-year-old Italian’s career highlight came with a soul-stirring win at the 2018 Open Championship.

Though winless since 2019, Molinari has not stopped backing himself and carries the mindset of the man who beat the world-class field back in 2018.

The confidence that the tide will turn is infectious, and it could be this week with a win at the Hero Indian Open, that starts at the DLF Golf and Country Club tomorrow with an enhanced prize purse of US$ 2.55 million.

The champion that he is, challenges continue to move Molinari and the feedback from elder brother Edoardo and other Italian professionals over time swayed the current European Ryder Cup vice-captain into making his first trip to India since 2009.

While he admits that the recent run has not matched his lofty standards, there is the determination that he will correct the anomaly “before I turn my attention to something else”, within golf or outside the sport.

The seriousness with which Molinari has approached this week in Gurugram can be understood from the deep study of the course stats.  While he readies himself with critical data, the never-say-die spirit will be the other prop.

Molinari can be assured that there will be quite a few instances this week, and hope floats that he can emerge the man best at a bounce back.

“That’s the part that has stayed with me the most. The ability to grind through the tough holes or tough times during the week and then being able to come out and be able to lift the trophy at the end of week,” he said. 

Defending champion Eugenio Chacarra keen to repeat last year’s success

This time, last year, it was as if the Spaniard could do no wrong. The spike that commenced at this venue with the Asian Tour’s International Series reached a crescendo with the breakthrough win on the DP World Tour, and gave Chacarra a Tour to play on.

He remains grateful, but the sights are set on soaring higher, and a career double this week will go a long way in fueling his dream.

There has been a slowdown in form, but Chacarra knows that there is no scope for negativity this week, be it in the mind or with the shots he comes up with.

With just a sprinkling of top-fives post the Gurugram high, Chacarra is hoping to buck the trend with the mindset that he is among the best in the world.

Chacarra spent a significant time in the top echelons of amateur golf, and the belief got cast in stone with the win here last year. He likes being challenged, and the DLF Golf and Country Club will throw scores of questions at him.

He is up for it.

“It’s probably my favourite course of the year on the European Tour. It doesn’t get much better than this.  You actually need to think around and I love that kind of golf,” he said.

Akshay Bhatia, the top-draw at Hero Indian Open 2026

Hero MotoCorp Global Brand Ambassador Akshay Bhatia will look to mount a serious charge, and the three-time PGA Tour winner has form and insights to aid his march to the top prize.

“The conditions can change at this golf course a lot. There are a lot of tough golf holes, and you have to be very strategic, which I think is great. What a pretty golf course, and happy to be here,” said the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion.

“I've watched so many highlights of this event and how hard the golf course is, 17 being a signature hole”, added Bhatia.

The Indian challenge

Like Molinari, the determination to set it right is powering one of the home favourite’s Shubhankar Sharma’s campaign. Last season on the DP World Tour was like an aberration as the string of misses and subsequent loss of card isn’t definitely how he sees himself as a player.

Sharma is a two-time winner, and making additions to that column is what will be remembered once he is done with his playing days. That time is far away as Sharma, 29, has a lot of juice left in him, and the DLF Golf and Country Club is just the venue to surge with some impactful golf.

“When I draw back on experiences of wins, it gives me confidence that I have done it, and I can do it again. Golf’s just one of those games. A week changes everything.” says Sharma.

Another Hero MotoCorp Brand Ambassador Rayhan Thomas is back for another tryst with the DLF Golf and Country Club, and the hope is he is better prepared this time. Steeled by the rigours of competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, and managing himself through the phases of good and bad golf, Thomas sounded confident.

“I’ve played this course a few times before and last year it was a reminder that it is really hard.  This year, it will be just about the same. The course will get tougher as the week progresses but I love coming back and playing this tournament.  It’s an honour,” said Thomas.

Yuvraj Sandhu is in the midst of a leap of faith after graduating to the DP World Tour this season as the Professional Golf Tour of India’s 2025 order of champion. Last season at home was a phenomenon with the record seven wins, and Sandhu, who now has Shubhankar Sharma as a Tour buddy, is keen to gather another accolade with a high at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

“I want to cap it with a great finish at the Hero Indian Open, hopefully a W this week. Luckily, this week the golf course is playing much, much gettable than last year. We’re seeing softer greens, and the rough is a little bit down. So, I’m looking forward to it,” said Sandhu.

The other leading Indian names in the fray are former DP World PGTI Order of Merit champions Veer Ahlawat, Om Prakash Chouhan and Manu Gandas as well as current DP World PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar, also a multiple winner on the DP World PGTI. Honey Baisoya, Arjun Prasad, Kshitij Naveed Kaul, Tapendra Ghai, Dhruv Sheoran and Abhinav Lohan, all winners on the DP World PGTI, are also expected to add further depth to the Indian challenge. 

Play gets underway at Hero Indian Open with the first group teeing off at 6:25 AM local time tomorrow, March 26, 2026. The field of 138 golfers from 26 countries includes 30 Indians, 4 of whom have been given amateur spots at the storied event.

Picture Caption:

(L - R) Shubhankar Sharma, Rayhan Thomas and Yuvraj Sandhu, the three players leading the Indian challenge at the 2026 Hero Indian Open are seen posing with the trophy at the Press Conference at DLF Golf & Country Club on Wednesday