Shubhankar Sharma will lead the Indian challenge at home in the 2025 edition of the Hero Indian Open to be held at the pristine DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, Haryana from March 27 to 30.
Turning professional in 2013, the 28-year-old Sharma played primarily on the Asian Tour till 2017. A win in the Joburg Open, which event was part of the Open Qualifying Series, gave him an entry to the 2018 Open Championship. The win also earned him full membership of the European Tour. Victory at the Maybank Championship in February 2018, saw him enter the World Top 100 rankings for the first time.
The year 2018 was a Super Year for Sharma making the cut in the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and the US Open while ending T51 at the Open Championship that year. His best at The Open has been T8 in 2023 and T19 in 2024.
Sharma has been in India for over a month having taken part in the International Series event that also took place at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon. Sharma is keenly looking forward to the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open 2025 which is part of the Asian Swing, that features the Singapore Classic, China Open, and Hainan Classic. Co-sanctioned by the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the tournament offers the Indian Open winner a full card for the following year on the DP World Tour.
The Hero Indian Open is like the fifth major. I am really looking forward to this year's edition of the Hero Indian Open at the beautiful DLF Golf and Country Club. The Indian Open is a tournament that's always been very close to my heart.
Growing up in India, it was always the fifth major. This is a tournament that I've always dreamt of winning. And I'm really looking forward to giving it another go this year at the beautiful DLF Golf and Country Club is like my second home. I spent so many years there.
What adds to the excitement for Sharma is the top-notch field of home golfers that would be competing in the event.
Growing up when I first turned pro, I have so many friends there and that place is always very special to me. This year, you will see some of the best young talents in India competing against the best players in the world. Some of the best players on the DP World Tour playing at one of the toughest courses that we play all year.
Apart from a strong Indian contingent, The Indian Open has attracted an elite field, with early entries already featuring prominent stars and champions from the 2024 and 2025 schedules.
Notable names include Jacques Kruyswijk, Johannes Veerman, Julien Guerrier, Angel Hidalgo, Frederic Lacroix, David Ravetto, Ewen Ferguson, and Guido Migliozzi among others. The 24-year-old defending champion, Keita Nakajima from Japan, will lead the charge at the tournament, and intensifying the competition will be Germany’s Marcel Siem, who clinched the championship in 2023, ending a 10-year title drought.
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).
The DLF Golf and Country course is in fantastic condition despite the International series event that happened just a few weeks earlier.
Ben Cowen, the DP World Tour’s Chief Tournament and Operations Officer, said: “We are very excited to return to India for the 58th edition of the historic Hero 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.”
