McIlroy joins Fleetwood in Delhi as Jeeno Thitikul defends Buick LPGA Shanghai title from 15 October
Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre are grouped together at the DP World India Championship, while Jeeno Thitikul opens the LPGA's Asian swing as defending champion in Shanghai.
Two big golf events start in Asia on Thursday, 15 October. Rory McIlroy headlines the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club, where he is grouped with defending champion Tommy Fleetwood and Robert MacIntyre for the first two rounds. In China, Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul defends her title at the Buick LPGA Shanghai, the first of four LPGA events in Asia that include the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur later this month. Both tournaments run from 15 to 18 October.
DP World India Championship: a star group in Delhi
The second edition of the DP World India Championship is played on the Lodhi Course at Delhi Golf Club, a par-72 layout of 6,912 yards. The purse is US$4 million, with US$680,000 for the winner, the same amount Fleetwood earned when he won the inaugural event 12 months ago. Japan's Keita Nakajima was runner-up that year.
McIlroy, Fleetwood and MacIntyre start their first round at 7.15am local time from the 10th tee, which is 9.45am in Malaysia. Just ahead of them, Justin Rose, Eugenio Chacarra and Australia's Min Woo Lee go off at 7.05am (9.35am Malaysia time), and Luke Donald, Shane Lowry and Thomas Detry tee off at 6.55am (9.25am Malaysia time). In the afternoon wave, Patrick Reed, Ryan Fox and Aaron Rai start at 12pm local time, which is 2.30pm in Malaysia.
Race to Dubai stakes
The event matters in the season-long Race to Dubai. Reed leads the standings, with Chacarra second and McIlroy third, so all three have a chance to make up ground or extend their position with the season heading towards its finale.
India's challenge is led by Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri, with several players from the Professional Golf Tour of India also in the 144-man field. There is a piece of history too, as Subash Tamang becomes the first player from Nepal to compete on the DP World Tour. Other Asian names include South Korea's Byeong Hun An and Japan's Rikuya Hoshino and Kota Kaneko.
Delhi is two and a half hours behind Malaysia. The first groups go off at 6.25am local time on both the first and 10th tees, which is 8.55am in Malaysia.
Buick LPGA Shanghai: Jeeno returns as champion
At Sheshan International Golf Club, Jeeno Thitikul returns as defending champion after winning last year's event in a five-hole play-off. The Thai star arrives in form, having won the Lotte Championship in Hawaii on 4 October, finishing three shots clear at 21 under par. That was her fourth LPGA title of 2026, matching Nelly Korda's tally for the season.
Korda, the world No. 1 and leader of the Race to the CME Globe, is not in the field, leaving Jeeno, ranked No. 2, as the highest-ranked player. Japan's Miyu Yamashita, ranked fifth in the world, is also in Shanghai. The purse is US$3.2 million, with US$480,000 for the winner. Shanghai is in the same time zone as Malaysia, so play takes place at the same local times.
The road to Kuala Lumpur
Shanghai opens a four-event LPGA Asian swing. It continues with the BMW Ladies Championship in Haenam, South Korea, from 22 to 25 October and then the Maybank Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from 29 October to 1 November, before the Toto Japan Classic from 5 to 8 November. The season ends with the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, from 19 to 22 November.
Key takeaways
- The DP World India Championship and the Buick LPGA Shanghai both run from 15 to 18 October.
- McIlroy, Fleetwood and MacIntyre tee off together at 9.45am Malaysia time on Thursday.
- Fleetwood is the defending champion in Delhi, and the purse is US$4 million.
- Jeeno Thitikul defends in Shanghai after winning her fourth LPGA title of 2026 in Hawaii.
- The LPGA's Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur follows from 29 October to 1 November.
FAQ
What time do McIlroy and Fleetwood tee off in Malaysia time? Their first-round group, with Robert MacIntyre, starts at 7.15am in Delhi on 15 October, which is 9.45am in Malaysia.
Who is the defending champion at the Buick LPGA Shanghai? Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who won last year's event after a five-hole play-off.
When is the LPGA Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur? It is from 29 October to 1 November 2026 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
Sources: Field Level Media, Golf Channel, Golf Monthly, GolfMagic, Yahoo Sports