The Race to Dubai standings could change as McIlroy, Patrick Reed and Eugenio Chacarra compete in New Delhi, while the LPGA opens its four-event Asian series in Shanghai.
Rory McIlroy is preparing to compete in the DP World India Championship as professional golf enters a busy stretch of international tournaments. The Northern Irish star headlines a strong field at Delhi Golf Club, where the October 15-18 event offers $4 million in prize money and valuable points toward the season-ending Race to Dubai title.
The tournament begins Thursday, October 15, with McIlroy seeking to close the gap on Patrick Reed, who leads the DP World Tour’s season standings. Eugenio Chacarra is also in contention, setting up an important week for three players competing for the tour’s top individual honor.
At the same time, the LPGA Tour begins its four-tournament Asian swing with the Buick LPGA Shanghai in China. The women’s event features defending champion Jeeno Thitikul and a $3.2 million purse, bringing additional attention to a crowded international golf schedule.
McIlroy Faces Important Week in Race to Dubai
McIlroy enters the India Championship third in the Race to Dubai standings with 3,115.86 points. Reed leads with 3,423.62 points, while Chacarra is second with 3,257.89.
The standings leave McIlroy approximately 308 points behind Reed and 142 points behind Chacarra. With several major events still to come, the competition remains open.
McIlroy is seeking an eighth career Race to Dubai title, which would equal Colin Montgomerie’s record. He has won the season-long honor in each of the previous four years.
Reed has strengthened his position through a productive season that included victories at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters. However, he missed the cut at the Open de España last week, leaving opportunities for his closest challengers.
Chacarra moved into second place following a strong performance in Spain, where he tied for second despite dealing with a fractured toe. His result pushed McIlroy into third place heading into New Delhi.
The India Championship offers 5,000 Race to Dubai points across the field, with 835 available to the winner. A victory by any of the leading contenders could change the standings before the tour’s final events in the Middle East.
The tournament is the eighth event in the DP World Tour’s Back 9 portion of the schedule. It is also one of the final opportunities for players to accumulate points before the season-ending playoffs.
Major Champions Gather at Delhi Golf Club
The field features several prominent international players, including defending champion Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland and Min Woo Lee.
Aaron Rai, who won the 2026 PGA Championship, and Ryan Fox, winner of this year’s Open Championship, are also scheduled to compete.
Their participation adds considerable strength to a tournament that is only in its second year. Fleetwood won the inaugural event in 2025, establishing himself as the defending champion.
McIlroy returned to India after making his first appearance at the tournament last year. He previously praised the enthusiasm of Indian golf fans and described his first visit as a memorable experience.
The 6,912-yard Delhi Golf Club course presents a different challenge from many modern tournament venues. Its narrow fairways, mature trees and demanding layouts place a premium on accurate driving and careful shot selection.
Although McIlroy is known for his exceptional driving distance, controlling the ball from the tee will be particularly important this week. Players who miss the fairways can encounter difficult recovery shots beneath the course’s dense tree cover.
The tournament is jointly sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India, giving local professionals an opportunity to compete against internationally established players.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri are among those hoping to make an impression before home supporters.
Former Masters champions Reed and Bubba Watson are also participating. Their presence adds to the international field and reflects the tournament’s growing position within the DP World Tour schedule.
Luke Donald, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, is another notable entrant. His participation continues a busy competitive period as he combines tournament appearances with responsibilities connected to European team golf.
The championship offers one of the largest prize funds for a DP World Tour event held in India. Its growing field reflects the tour’s efforts to establish a stronger presence in the country’s developing professional golf market.
LPGA Opens Four-Tournament Asian Swing
While McIlroy competes in India, the world’s leading women golfers are preparing for the Buick LPGA Shanghai, also scheduled for October 15-18.
The tournament takes place at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, which is hosting the event for the first time. The par-72 course measures 6,735 yards and offers a total purse of $3.2 million.
Sheshan previously hosted the WGC-HSBC Champions, a major international men’s golf tournament that brought many of the sport’s leading players to China.
The course is known for its strategic challenges, particularly during the closing holes. Players must balance aggressive scoring opportunities against hazards that can quickly change their position on the leaderboard.
Thitikul returns as the defending champion after winning the 2025 Buick LPGA Shanghai in a dramatic playoff against Japan’s Minami Katsu.
Thitikul recovered from a four-shot deficit with five holes remaining before winning on the fifth extra hole. The victory demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure and strengthened her standing among the leading players in women’s golf.
The 2026 field includes international competitors and golfers representing the China Golf Association. The tournament provides opportunities for Chinese players to compete against experienced LPGA professionals.
The Shanghai event begins a four-week series in Asia that will also visit South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.
The BMW Ladies Championship follows October 22-25 at Pine Beach Golf Links in South Korea. The Maybank Championship takes place October 29-November 1 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before the TOTO Japan Classic concludes the swing November 5-8.
These tournaments will play an important role in determining which players qualify for the LPGA’s season-ending championship.
Following the Asian swing, the tour returns to the United States for the ANNIKA tournament in Florida. The CME Group Tour Championship, scheduled for November 19-22 in Naples, will then determine the season’s final standings.
The LPGA’s Asian events also provide a chance for players to improve their rankings and earnings before the campaign ends.
PGA Tour Champions Approaches Playoffs
Another important event takes place in North Carolina, where the SAS Championship serves as the final regular-season tournament on the PGA Tour Champions.
The October 16-18 competition will be played at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. The par-72 course measures 7,237 yards and carries a $2.3 million purse.
Unlike the India Championship and Buick LPGA Shanghai, the SAS Championship has direct consequences for players seeking to qualify for the senior tour’s postseason.
The top 72 players in the Charles Schwab Cup standings after the tournament will advance to the first playoff event, the Stifel Charity Classic, scheduled for October 23-25 in St. Louis.
The postseason field will then be reduced to 54 players for the Simmons Bank Championship in Arkansas. Only the top 36 will qualify for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix in November.
The narrowing field creates additional pressure for players near the qualification cutoff. A strong performance in North Carolina could determine whether a golfer continues competing into the postseason.
Defending champion Alex Cejka returns after winning the 2025 SAS Championship. Bernhard Langer, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Pádraig Harrington are also listed among the participants.
Langer remains one of the senior tour’s most accomplished competitors. His continued appearances reflect an unusually long professional career, with tournament victories spanning several decades.
The SAS Championship offers established players another opportunity to strengthen their postseason positions, while those near the cutoff face a particularly important final regular-season start.
International Golf Calendar Moves Toward Season Finales
The three tournaments illustrate the different stages of the professional golf season.
McIlroy, Reed and Chacarra are competing for points that could shape the Race to Dubai championship. The LPGA’s leading players are beginning a series of Asian events before returning to Florida for the final tournaments of their season.
On the PGA Tour Champions, players have only one regular-season event remaining before the playoff field is determined.
For McIlroy, the immediate challenge is turning his return to Delhi Golf Club into a result that closes the gap on Reed. The India Championship begins Thursday, with the final round scheduled for Sunday, October 18.
IMAGE: Rory McIlroy drives during a practice day for the 2013 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.. Photo: TourProGolfClubs / Wikimedia, taken 2013-05-21, CC BY 2.0