Joost Luiten chases $680,000 top prize in India
Joost Luiten starts the final round of the DP World India Championship in pursuit. This is the prize money at stake in New Delhi.
Jan Kuijpers · Founder of Narrows Golf
October 18, 2026 · 4 min read
Image: Eugenio Chacarra during the third round of the 2026 DP World India Championship. Photo: Getty Images, via BBC Sport.
Joost Luiten remains in contention for one of the biggest cheques of his season on the final day of the DP World India Championship. The Dutchman started the last round at Delhi Golf Club in third place at 13 under par, six shots behind leader Eugenio Chacarra and one behind Daniel Hillier.
The gap is significant, but so is the financial incentive. There is $4 million on offer in New Delhi. The winner receives $680,000, while even fifth place alone is worth at least $169,600.
DP World India Championship 2026 at a glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Date | October 15-18, 2026 |
| Course | Delhi Golf Club, New Delhi |
| Tours | DP World Tour and PGTI |
| Format | 72-hole stroke play |
| Prize fund | $4 million |
| Winner's share | $680,000 |
| Leader before the final round | Eugenio Chacarra, -19 |
| Joost Luiten's position | Third, -13 |
| Defending champion | Tommy Fleetwood |
How much prize money can Joost Luiten earn?
The figures below apply when a player holds a position alone. When players tie, the money assigned to the relevant places is added together and divided equally between them.
| Position | Prize money |
|---|---|
| 1 | $680,000 |
| 2 | $440,000 |
| 3 | $252,000 |
| 4 | $200,000 |
| 5 | $169,600 |
| 6 | $140,000 |
| 7 | $120,000 |
| 8 | $100,000 |
| 9 | $89,600 |
| 10 | $80,000 |
The full distribution extends to $7,600 for 70th place. Luiten is therefore playing for much more than the title from his final-round starting position. Hundreds of thousands of dollars can move with only a few places on the leaderboard.
Solo second, for example, is worth $188,000 more than third. Dropping from third to sixth would reduce the payout from $252,000 to $140,000. On a narrow course where one ball into the trees can immediately cost two shots, that calculation remains fluid until the closing holes.
Luiten stayed steady through a disrupted week
The tournament fell behind schedule from Thursday. Almost five hours of play were lost to storms, forcing much of the field to take on extra holes on Friday. Luiten completed 34 holes that day and signed for two rounds of 68. That left him sharing the clubhouse lead with Ángel Hidalgo and Adrian Meronk after round two.
The DP World Tour aptly described it as a good day for Luiten. Delhi Golf Club is less about raw distance than selecting the correct line. Its fairways are narrow, trees squeeze the playing corridors and recovery shots require imagination. That profile suits Luiten's controlled iron play.
Not everyone could finish on Saturday either. When darkness stopped play, Luiten was 12 under and two behind Chacarra. He returned on Sunday morning to complete the final six holes of round three. A 67 moved him to 13 under, but Chacarra accelerated even more quickly. The Spaniard closed with an eagle and a 63, extending his lead to five over Hillier and six over Luiten.
Chacarra finds his best golf in India again
Chacarra is building a striking record in New Delhi. He won the Hero Indian Open in 2025, with Luiten finishing third. This time, rounds of 67, 67 and 63 put him in the strongest position to win in India again.
His third round created the separation. Nine under par at Delhi Golf Club is more than simply a low score. It is the kind of round that breaks open a crowded leaderboard. Luiten played his third round in five under, yet Chacarra still gained four shots on him.
The Spaniard is playing for more than the winner's cheque. The tournament offers 5,000 Race to Dubai points and is part of the decisive Back 9 phase of the season. Victory would give him a major lift in the season-long standings shortly before the play-offs.
India earned Luiten $120,000 last year
Luiten has fond memories of the inaugural edition of this tournament. In 2025, he tied for sixth at 17 under par and earned $120,000. Tommy Fleetwood won at 22 under and collected the same $680,000 top prize available this year.
The Dutchman also arrived in New Delhi with some form, having tied for 13th at the Open de España a week earlier. His most recent DP World Tour victory came at the 2018 Oman Open. Making up six shots on a leader fresh from a 63 requires an exceptional final round, but another sizeable cheque and a high finish remain within reach.
Prize money tells only part of the story. A strong result would also help Luiten in the Race to Dubai and could strengthen his place in the season finale. On a Sunday when he must play another 18 holes after a busy, interrupted week, every position matters.
Read also: Rory McIlroy trades slim fit for wide trousers in India
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