E-Paper
Bengaluru golfer steals top spot as J&K Open 2026 concludes
Former J&K chief minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah presented the awards including trophy and cheque of ₹15 lakh to top winner Khalin Joshi
The fifth edition of J&K Open 2026 DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI) concluded on Friday at the Royal Springs Golf Course in Srinagar with ₹1 crore distributed among the winners.
Former J&K chief minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah presented the awards including trophy and cheque of ₹15 lakh to top winner Khalin Joshi.
The 33-year-old Bengaluru golfer finished with a tournament total of 24-under 260 to claim his eighth professional title and second victory of the 2026 DP World PGTI season. After collecting the winner’s cheque of ₹15 lakh, Joshi climbed five places from 13th to eighth in the DP World PGTI Rankings, taking his season’s earnings to ₹34,85,575, the organising body said.
Delhi’s Rashid Khan, a two-time Asian Tour winner, finished runner-up at 15-under 269. Panipat’s Shubham Jaglan (70-68-66-66), a University of South Florida graduate, produced his best result of the season by finishing third at 14-under 270. The tournament was organised by PG World PGTI and J&K’s tourism department.
“I’m very happy with the way I played throughout the week and with the overall performance,” Joshi said. “Royal Springs is unbelievable and offers some of the best views we see all year. It is a stunning golf course, and I hope we can return more often,” he said.
Joshi believes more tournaments, junior programmes and coaching camps could help the sport grow in the region and enhance Jammu and Kashmir’s reputation as a golf tourism destination.
“There is a lot of potential here. The course is in pristine condition and the weather is excellent,” he said. “More tournaments would attract stronger fields and more visitors. Hopefully, Royal Springs can host an international event in the future.”
On August 04, CM Omar Abdullah had inaugurated the event describing the J&K Open as a landmark event. He said the tournament would help place Kashmir, particularly the Royal Springs Golf Course, firmly back on India’s golfing map. He noted that the championship has attracted more than 100 professional golfers, including over 10 international participants, reflecting the growing appeal of Jammu & Kashmir as a sporting destination.
