New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): The 2025 edition of the prestigious Indian Open is set to be held from March 27-30 at the DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurugram.

The iconic golf tournament has attracted an elite field, with early entries already featuring prominent stars and champions from the 2024 and 2025 schedules. Among the notable names are Jacques Kruyswijk, Johannes Veerman, Julien Guerrier, Angel Hidalgo, Frederic Lacroix, David Ravetto, Ewen Ferguson, and Guido Migliozzi among others, as per a press release from Indian Open.

24-year-old defending champion, Keita Nakajima from Japan will lead the charge at the tournament that catapulted him to global fame. Joining Nakajima and intensifying the competition will be Germany's Marcel Siem, who clinched the championship in 2023, ending a 10-year title drought.

The 2.25 million USD Indian Open 2025 is part of the Asian Swing, which features the Singapore Classic, China Open, and Hainan Classic.

Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice President, Hero MotoCorp, the title sponsor, said: 'The Hero Indian Open is more than a tournament; it is a testament to our leadership in promoting Indian golf on the global stage.'

Co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the Indian Open offers the Indian Tour winner a full card for the following year on The European Tour. Last year's runner-up, Veer Ahlawat, won the Indian Order of Merit and is now competing at the European Tour.

Alongside Veer, Shubhankar Sharma, a two-time winner on The European Tour, will headline the Indian challenge at the event. Joining the duo will be local boy Manu Gandas, who played in the DP World Tour in 2023.

Another highlight is Indian teen prodigy Kartik Singh, who has been in form and finished in the Top-10 in his last three international amateur events (twice in South Africa and once in Australia).

Brijinder Singh, President, the Indian Golf Union, said, 'The Indian Open is one of Asia's most prestigious golf tournaments and has played a crucial role in the development of Indian golf, having been instrumental in showcasing India's golfing talent at a global level.'

Ben Cowen, the DP World (the title sponsor of The European Tour) Tour's, Chief Tournament and Operations Officer, said: 'We are very excited to return to India for the 58th edition of the historic Indian Open. DLF Golf & Country Club is a world-class course that provides our players with a true test every year, so we are grateful to everyone at the venue for their continued support and hospitality. I would also like to thank the Indian Golf Union (IGU), for their hard work in continuing to develop golf in India. This tournament has played such an important role in helping them to achieve that and we look forward to the 2025 edition later this month.'

Tusch Daroga, Vice President, of DLF Golf and Country Club, said, 'We are extremely proud to be the host venue for India's national open and look forward to once again collaborating with Hero MotoCorp and the Indian Golf Union. The Indian Open has an illustrious legacy as India's premier golf tournament and DLF Golf and Country Club is delighted to be the venue for the sixth edition in a row. The golf course is in immaculate playing condition and the golfers will definitely enjoy the challenge that the course presents.' (ANI)