DLF Golf and Country Club is getting ready to host $2.55 dollar Hero Indian Open 2026, from March 26-29. With 138 confirmed players, the field is set to be filled and shining with some of the biggest names. The tournament is co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Union and the DP World Tour, and offers a record prize of USD 2.55 million. The field is packed with DP World Tour winners, seasoned champions, and emerging players, all competing on a course that historically punishes any lapse in concentration.

The event carries significance not only because of the prize bag but also because it is the second stop of the Asian Swing, following the Porsche Singapore Classic. This event holds a unique place in the calendar as it is a bridge between Asian goals and the European tour circuit. After this tournament, players will have a one-week break before moving towards Augusta National Golf Club for the season’s first Major, The Masters Tournament.

No. 1: Akshay Bhatia (22)

At 24, Akshay Bhatia is the highest-ranked player in the field and arrives in Delhi with genuine momentum. The American left-hander turned professional straight out of high school in 2019 after representing the US at the Walker Cup, becoming the youngest player ever to do so. Since then, he has built a career defined by clutch moments: all three of his PGA Tour victories have come in playoffs. His 2024 Valero Texas Open win was a breakthrough, earning him his first Masters invitation, but it is his March 2026 victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational that has put him firmly in the conversation among the Tour’s best. He defeated Daniel Berger in a playoff at Bay Hill, closing with a 31 on the back nine.

One of the biggest and most beautiful traits about Bhatia is the mental lessons he goes through: regardless of his skill level, he always believes in himself. He doesn’t do the math, doesn’t calculate how many you need or how far back you are, so he only focuses on playing the best golf possible on each hole, being aggressive on the field, picking a target, and committing to a shot without hesitation. Bhatia is known for his very positive mindset and strong self-belief, stating, “I am playing great right now.” His game has widely depicted that when you combine talent with an unshakable belief in yourself, everything becomes possible.

No 2: Casey Jarvis (69)

If Bhatia is the clear form player from the PGA Tour, Casey Jarvis is the equivalent from the DP World Tour. The 22-year-old South African is the only amateur in history to win South Africa’s golf Triple Crown: The South African Amateur, SA Amateur Stroke Play, and the African Amateur.

Casey started playing at the age of 4 when his father, Kevin, gave him a plastic set of clubs and taught him how to swing. Casey played his first tournament at the age of 6, turned professional in 2022, and joined the Sunshine Tour. He has won back-to-back events on Tour this season, claiming the Magical Kenya Open and the Investec South African Open Championship in successive weeks. At Karen Country Club, he set a tournament record of 25 under par. His Kenya win was enough to earn him a Master’s invitation; the South African Open added a spot at The Open Championship

No. 3: Elvis Smylie (79)

Smylie began playing golf at the age of ten after joining Southport Golf Club in Queensland. As an amateur, Elvis has an impressive record of winning four major titles: the 2019 Australian Boys’ Amateur Championship, the 2020 Queensland Stroke Play Championship, and claiming the Keperra Bowl twice.

The 23-year-old Australian won LIV Golf Riyadh on debut, edging Jon Rahm by one stroke. It was his first professional win outside Australia, immediately got worldwide recognition. His win came just a few months after his breakthrough win at the BMW Australian PGA Championship, leading and finishing ahead of Cameron Smith.

One of the distinguishing traits that makes Smylie different is the maturity with which he manages difficult stretches during a round. Despite being only 23, he remains aggressive on the field without losing his composure. Smylie’s short game remains one of his biggest strengths. He creates chances around the green and keeps pressure on opponents with an attacking style. A demanding course like DLF could make him one of the more interesting players to watch.

No. 4: David Puig (75)

David Puig holds the 75th World Rank, steadily building a reputation as one of the most dangerous ball-strickers in the field. He was nine in the World Amateur Golf Rankings when he first played LIV Golf as an amateur in 2022. He turned professional shortly after, at 20 years old, and the talent was clear from the start. The Spaniard from just outside Barcelona won three times at Arizona State, represented Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup, and was part of the winning European team at the 2022 European Team Championship before he’d even started life as a pro. Since then, he has won three times across three different tours — the International Series Singapore on the Asian Tour in 2023, the IRS Prima Malaysian Open in 2024, and most recently in the 2026 season on the DP World Tour.

His best performances often come from

Number 5: Thriston Lawrence 

Of the five players on this list, Thriston Lawrence is the most experienced on the DP World Tour — and the numbers back that up. The 29-year-old South African has five Tour titles: the 2021 Joburg Open, the 2022 and 2025 Omega European Masters, the 2023 South African Open, and the 2023 BMW International Open. He was the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 2022, finished third in the 2024 Race to Dubai, and earned dual membership on the PGA Tour. In 2024, he also finished solo fourth at The Open Championship at Royal Troon — three shots behind Xander Schauffele — the best major finish of his career.

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley once put it plainly: there is no weakness in his game. He is a solid putter, shapes his shots left to right consistently, and his confidence has risen year after year. Lawrence himself describes his approach simply: he likes to play a lot of golf, figure things out on his own, and keep things uncomplicated. Five Tour wins in four years suggest that philosophy is working. In a field of younger, flashier names, Lawrence is the kind of player who tends to be underestimated — and tends to be right there at the end.

Hero Indian Open 2026 combines established winners, fast-rising players, and different styles of golf, making this year more intriguing than usual.  DLF Golf and Country Club has often tested patience and persistence. For players arriving with momentum, the challenge is now whether they can carry it through one of the toughest courses on the schedule.