Kapil Dev: Men and women pros could one day play under one golf umbrella

PGTI chief Kapil Dev said men and women professionals could one day play under one umbrella, urged sponsors, media and fans to back the sport, and said golf will eventually reach the financial stature cricket has.

Updated : Oct 07, 2026 17:34 IST , GREATER NOIDA - 4 MINS READ

His comments came at the launch of the Rs 2 crore Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship in Greater Noida, where 64 professionals, including top DP World PGTI players, vie for a spot in next week’s USD 4 million DP World India Championship. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The individual gold by Pranavi Urs at the 2026 Asian Games could be the game-changer for women’s golf in the country.

“It is such a wonderful achievement that has made our nation so proud. The team has shown the way by winning the silver,” said Kapil Dev at the launch of the Vishwa Samudra presents Kapil Dev Invitational Tour Championship at the Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort here.

Speaking to the media on the opening day of the Rs. 2 crore event, Kapil, the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) president, hailed Pranavi for becoming the first Indian woman golfer to win gold at the Asian Games. Responding to one of the questions whether it was possible for men and women golfers to play under one umbrella much like men and women cricketers in the country, he said, “It is more than possible that one day the professional golf for men and women could come under one umbrella. If we have more funds, we can help them better. At the moment, the PGTI’s primary responsibility is to promote and provide opportunities to our male golfers.

Kapil appealed for support from all quarters. “Every sport needs sponsors. Cricket too. The media, fans and the sponsors should come forward to boost golf. We (PGTI) would love to handle that responsibility where girls can be as important as the boys,” Kapil added.

“The idea is to provide a platform to the golfers. We are trying our best. It is for them to use the stage and perform. I know cricket is always compared to other sports, but please remember there was a time when cricket too did not have money. We were paid Rs 20,000 for winning the 1983 World Cup. It took a long time for cricket to pay the players handsome fees and contracts. I am sure golf will reach that stature in the near future,” he said.

Asked about the lack of consistency of Indian golfers in the dollar-events held in India for nearly a decade and how the PGTI could address it, Kapil said, “We can also give our golfers faster green speeds in domestic tournaments. However, to do that, we will have to close the course at least two weeks in advance and compensate the host club by paying for those two weeks. At present, we don’t have that kind of money. But going forward, we shall continue to explore ways of generating more funds in order to help our golfers perform better in challenging conditions.”

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Meanwhile, the ongoing event has attracted 64 professionals, including the current top-60 on the DP World PGTI Order of Merit. The event is a precursor to the identification of the top 24 players on the Order of Merit. These 24 players will get to play in next week’s USD 4m DP World India Championship. This week, the professionals in the field include Shubhankar Sharma, Yuvraj Sandhu, Saptak Talwar, Khalin Joshi, Veer Ahlawat, Honey Baisoya, Akshay Sharma and Rashid Khan.

There are 10 foreign professionals, including Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja, Italy’s Michele Ortolani, Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain, Badal Hossain, and Mohammad Akbar Hossain, Nepal’s Subash Tamang, the Czech Republic’s Stepan Danek, Uganda’s Joshua Seale, Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool, and Japan’s Koichiro Ishika.

According to Amandeep Johl, CEO, DP World Professional Golf Tour of India, “The participation of amateur golfers alongside the professionals in all four rounds adds an exciting dimension to the event. The tournament’s impressive field, prize purse and different format are set to offer a unique and memorable experience to the professionals, participating amateurs and golf fans alike.”