"Want To Play In Olympics, Play For PGTI": Kapil Dev Tells Golfers

Kapil Dev read the riot act to Golfers across the country "If you have to play in the Olympics, play with PGTI." It was warning, to fall in line. And it set the tone for what PGTI unveiled next. Fresh off the high of hosting the DP World Tour event-where the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood lit up Indian galleries-PGTI clearly felt the wind at its back. The result: a brand-new franchise-style competition called 72 The League, something they believe can genuinely shift the sport's trajectory in the country.

The numbers are straightforward but impressive: Six teams. Sixty players. Ten per team.

A total purse of Rs 6 crore, with overall prize money running into several crores. And, importantly, player categories will be tied directly to PGTI rankings-meaning the Top 30 players get the strongest base prices and the spotlight they've earned. The project partnered by the company- Game of Life Sports.

But there's also a clear line in the sand. Players who choose the IGPL cannot play in this PGTI league. The Tour wants commitment, consistency, and a sense that the ecosystem it's trying to build isn't a revolving door.

Amandeep Johi, PGTI's CEO, kept things simple when explaining the format:

"The Ryder Cup has shown how exciting matchplay can be. Our first season will be match play all the way."

And that makes 72 The League stand out. Not just in India, but across Asia. A franchise event built purely on match play is almost unheard of in this part of the world.

The dates are locked-February 21 to March 6, 2026-a two-week window where Indian golf gets to do something it hasn't done often: command attention.

Behind all the numbers and new logos, though, the intention is surprisingly grounded. PGTI isn't promising overnight miracles. What they want is a sustainable league, something that keeps Indian golfers playing at home, earning well, and growing inside a system instead of bouncing between tours.

If things progress the way PGTI hopes, Indian pros could find themselves sharing weeks or even fairways with players of Rory McIlroy's stature.

For now, 72 The League is just starting out.

But for Indian golf, it feels like a moment that could actually matter-not a headline, but a beginning. For Kapil Dev, it is the start of a dream to see Indian Golf too has a 1983 moment too.