Dubai, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu have received official invitations to compete at the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic from January 22 to 26.
The duo’s presence means a strong Indian representation in the Rolex Series event at Emirates Golf Club. While Sharma is making his eighth successive start at the iconic USD 9 million dollar event, Sandhu will make his debut, though he has played the course before.
The tournament, among the most prestigious on the DP World Tour, will once again be staged at the famous Majlis Course and is expected to feature a world-class field, including several Major champions, Ryder Cup stars and emerging international talents.
Rory McIlroy, who defends his Masters’ Green Jacket in April, leads the field which will also have the likes of former Masters winner Dustin Johnson, who has also received an invitation.
Patrick Reed, another former Masters champion, and Tommy Fleetwood, winner of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup, who turned 35 during the tournament, will also take part.
Others in the star-studded field include former Open winner Shane Lowry, two-time Ryder Cup winning captain Luke Donald, Viktor Hovland and the latest Tour sensation Jayden Schaper.
Now in its 37th edition, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic remains one of the marquee events on the DP World Tour.
Sharma, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, returns to Dubai once again with hopes of a strong start to 2026. Sharma lost his DP World Tour card but regained status with a sterling effort in the Q-School.
“It was awesome to receive an invite and I love this event, having played it so many times. Hopefully I can make it count with a good showing,” said the 29-year-old Sharma.
Sandhu’s invitation marks another notable milestone in his professional progression. The Chandigarh-based player has earned attention for his solid results on the domestic Indian PGTI Tour with seven wins in 2025, which earned him the DP World Tour card as the PGTI Order of Merit winner.
“I am looking forward to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, which is such an iconic event,” said Sandhu.
The invitations to Sharma and Sandhu highlight the growing engagement between the tournament and India, and the strong support from Hero MotoCorp. PTI Corr PDS PDS PDS
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