Nava Raipur Open 2026 Golf Tournament Inaugurated

Inauguration by Chief Minister and PGTI President

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo Sai and PGTI President Padma Bhushan Kapil Dev jointly inaugurated the Nava Raipur Open 2026 at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort on Tuesday. The Chief Minister and the PGTI President formally opened the tournament with a ceremonial tee-off and unveiled the trophy in the presence of PGTI Chief Executive Officer Amandeep Johl.

Tournament Format and Field

The Rs 1 crore Championship brings together 132 professionals, including 18 overseas golfers, and will be played from 15 to 18 September. The tournament week will begin with the Pro-Am event on September 13, followed by the official practice round on September 14. The professional competition will be played over four rounds from September 15 to 18.

Leading Indian professionals, including Saptak Talwar, Honey Baisoya, Veer Ahlawat, Akshay Sharma, Khalin Joshi, Rashid Khan, Manu Gandas and Om Prakash Chouhan from Mhow will participate in the tournament. The leading foreign players participating in the tournament include Sri Lankans N Thangaraja and Mithun Perera, Czech Republic's Stepan Danek, Thailand's Tanapat Pichaikool, Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain and Badal Hossain, Nepal's Subash Tamang, Uganda's Joshua Seale, Americans Koichiro Sato and Dominic Piccirillo, Japan's Taiga Tanaka, Ireland's Declan Kenny and Canada's Sukhraj Singh Gill.

Strategic Importance for Nava Raipur

The Nava Raipur Open will be the second PGTI tournament to be staged in the city this year, underlining Nava Raipur's growing prominence on India's professional golf calendar. The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said hosting more professional golf tournaments would attract visitors, encourage youth participation and generate opportunities for tourism, hospitality and local businesses in Nava Raipur, according to a release.

Government and PGTI Leadership Vision

Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Vishnu Deo Sai said, "Nava Raipur has been planned as a city of opportunity, and sport must be part of that opportunity. A national tournament of this scale will go a long way in promoting golf tourism in the state and encourage more young people from Chhattisgarh to view golf as a sport they can learn, pursue and excel in. It also allows us to introduce players and visitors to the state's cultural heritage, tribal art, natural landscapes and hospitality."

Kapil Dev, President, DP World PGTI, said, "Golf is an Olympic sport, and young Indian players today have a clear international stage to aspire to. When children watch the country's leading professionals compete, they see how discipline, concentration and consistent effort can take them from junior golf to representing India at the Asian Games and the Olympics.

Course and Infrastructure

The Fairway Golf & Lake Resort, Naya Raipur, is located in the newly planned capital city of Chhattisgarh, namely "Nava Raipur," which was planned as an integrated community with leisure and recreation. The golf course is located on the bank of a 450-acre Jhanjh Lake and beautifully surrounded by almost a 500-acre forest. It is the first 18-hole golf course to be developed in the central part of India.

Broader Tourism and Economic Impact

For Nava Raipur, the opportunity extends beyond hosting a tournament. A sustained calendar of golf events can increase visitor footfall and generate activity across tourism, hospitality, event management, coaching and course operations. Accessible training and junior programmes can also give young players pathways to scholarships, competitive golf and professional careers, helping the city develop a distinct identity around sport.