Pranavi Urs's Asiad gold boosts India's chances to end drought at Women's Indian Open

New Delhi: India will hope to break their title drought at the Hero Women's Indian Open amid a star-studded field. Their hopes of title win have been boosted by the presence of Pranavi Urs who has just a gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan. Pranavi became the first ever Indian woman to win individual gold.

Three of the last four champions will return for the 2026 edition of the Hero Women’s Indian Open, when it tees off at the challenging DLF Golf & Country Club. Led by the defending champion Shannon Tan of Singapore, England’s Liz Young (2024 winner) and Germany’s Olivia Cowan (2022 winner), will be among those attempting to take back the coveted trophy that signifies the champion of one of the elite Ladies European Tour tournaments in Asia.

The Hero Women’s Indian Open 2026 will be played at the DLF Golf and Country Club from October 22 to 25.

Tan won the US$ 500,000 event last year after finishing in a four-way tie in 2024 for second behind the winner Liz Young. A year ago, she started the final round five shots off the lead but then proceeded to pull off a stunning win for her third Ladies European Tour title. Tan played a final-round of 67 for an overall score of 7-under 281, one stroke ahead of Alice Hewson, with India’s Hitaashee Bakshi third at 5-under.

Early entries include three past LET Order of Merit winners – Tan (2025), Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini (2024) and Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab (2023). Also in the field are four current season winners – Eleanor Givens of England (VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open), Thai golfer Aunchisa Utama (Dutch Ladies Open), Germany’s Leonie Harm (Amundi German Masters) and Agathe Laisné of France (Joburg Ladies Open and Ford Women's NSW Open).

Last year’s runner-up Hewson has also shown strong recent form, finishing tied second at the La Sella Open in September at 8-under 208.

Amid this international lineup, the Indian contingent aims to claim the title for the first time in ten years. The last Indian winner was Aditi Ashok in 2016.

Speaking about the significance of the tournament, Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice President - Global Business, Global Product Planning and Global Market Insights, Hero MotoCorp said, "Hero MotoCorp’s association with the Hero Women’s Indian Open spans over 15 years - a testament to our steadfast efforts in advancing women’s golf in India and creating a platform where talent can compete, thrive and inspire the next generation.

"This tournament has evolved into much more than a marquee stop on the Ladies European Tour schedule - it serves as a pivotal launch pad for talented women golfers in India who dream of making their mark on the international stage. As we head into the 202 edition at the DLF Golf and Country Club, we are proud to continue fostering this platform and look forward to witnessing another chapter of world-class competition."

Kavita Singh, President, Women's Golf Association of India, said, “It gives me immense pleasure to announce that the 18th edition of the Hero Women’s Indian Open 2026 will be hosted again at the DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurugram, a state-of-the-art venue synonymous with golfing excellence.

"We are indebted to our Title Sponsors Hero MotoCorp Ltd. and Dr Pawan Munjal for their encouragement, invaluable support and generosity in helping us to stage this world class event. The Championship has acquired marquee status over the years and is now one of the most sought-after events on the LET calendar. I take this opportunity to thank our presenting sponsors DLF Ltd. and a host of other umbrella sponsors. Their valuable contributions ensure that we are able to deliver a world class event matching the high level of excellence expected of us by all stakeholders."

Can India's best ever collective result of 2025 be bettered?

The 2025 edition proved to be India’s strongest collective showing in tournament history, headlined by four golfers finishing inside the Top-10: Hitaashee Bakshi finished third after leading on the final day, followed by Pranavi Urs (4th), Avani Prashanth (Tied-5th), and Vani Kapoor (Tied-10th).Diksha Dagar ended T-41 in 2025 after mixed rounds, but the consistent left-hander remains one of India’s top contenders. With two Ladies European Tour titles to her name and a third-place finish in this tournament in 2023, Dagar recently competed in a domestic tour event at DLF to hone her preparation. She, along with Pranavi Urs, enters the tournament following their appearance at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

Together with Avani Prashanth, Hitaashee Bakshi, and Vani Kapoor, Dagar and Urs have been competing regularly on the Ladies European Tour with strong results.

Tom Phillips, CEO of the Ladies European Tour, said: "We’re looking forward to the Hero Women’s Indian Open which takes place next month, and has become a constant on the LET schedule. The tournament takes place at an important time in the season with players looking to consolidate or improve their ranking in the LET Order of Merit. Our players look forward to returning to the top-quality golf course at DLF Golf & Country Club every year."

Tags : Asian Games, Pranavi Urs, Shannon Tan, Hitaashee Bakshi, Avani Prashanth, Diksha Dagar, Indian Open