Champion Khalin Joshi (2nd from right) receives his trophy from the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Arun Sao (2nd from left). Shri Shyam Sunder Bajaj, Vice President & Head of State, Corporate Affairs & Corporate Communications, Chhattisgarh (extreme left) and Mr. Vikas Singh, Chief Business Officer, DP World PGTI (extreme right), were also present on the occasion.
Naya Raipur: Khalin Joshi produced a bogey-free three-under 31 to win the inaugural INR 1 crore SECL presents Nava Raipur Open 2026 by one stroke at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
The 34-year-old Bengaluru golfer (29-30-33-31), who began the final round with a one-shot advantage, made three consecutive birdies from the third through the fifth holes of his nine-hole round to finish at 13-under 123.
The victory was Joshi’s third of the season following his triumphs at the Andhra Open in April and the J&K Open in August, and his ninth overall on the DP World PGTI.
Joshi, who claimed his maiden Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India in 2018, collected INR 15 lakh. He climbed from 12th to seventh in the Race to DP World India Championship, taking his season earnings to INR 52,34,225.
Persistent rain left the course unsuitable for full 18-hole rounds, prompting the Tournament Committee to reduce each of the four rounds to nine holes over the back nine.
The final round was also suspended for several hours, leaving Joshi uncertain whether play would resume.
“After the delay, the course did not appear playable and we heard that the final round might be abandoned,” Joshi said. “I still had to regain my focus and prepare mentally in case play resumed. I stayed calm and composed, and I’m delighted with how I handled the situation.”
Mhow’s Om Prakash Chouhan (34-29-32-29), the 2023 DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion, produced the joint-lowest score of the day. His five-under 29 featured an eagle on the par-five fourth and three birdies as he finished joint runner-up at 12-under 124.
Chouhan was joined in second place by Panchkula’s Raunil Kukar (31-30-33-30), who briefly held the lead before play was halted, and Ahmedabad’s Anshul Patel (32-31-31-30).
The three joint runners-up earned INR 6,99,867 each. Chouhan strengthened his position at eighth in the Race to DP World India Championship with season earnings of INR 51,88,201.
Kukar climbed from 102nd to 54th with earnings of INR 8,93,660, while Patel rose from 84th to 47th with INR 10,24,442. By moving inside the top 60, both secured their playing status and avoided a return to Qualifying School next month.
Kolkata’s Divyanshu Bajaj (33-32-30-30), Delhi’s Pritish Singh Karayat (34-31-29-31) and Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema (34-29-30-32) shared fifth place at 11-under 125.
Reflecting on his three victories this season, Joshi credited greater confidence and a present-focused approach.
“My mindset has not changed dramatically over my 14 seasons as a professional, but I have become more confident,” he said. “My mind used to race, particularly in the final group. I now understand the importance of staying in the present, remaining calm and enjoying the moment.”
Joshi will next compete at the Karnataka Golf Association, his home course since childhood.
“I haven’t been home for seven weeks, so I’m looking forward to returning to Bengaluru,” he said. “I’ve been associated with KGA since I was four and know the course extremely well. My girlfriend will also be caddying for me, so it should be a special week.”
The victory also strengthened Joshi’s prospects ahead of the DP World India Championship at Delhi Golf Club.
“I love that course because I recorded my first international victory there in 2018,” Joshi said. “It is a major tournament for all the Indian players. Hopefully, I can put myself in contention.”
The Nava Raipur Open was supported by Title Partner Nava Raipur, Presenting Partner SECL and Associate Partners Chhattisgarh Tourism and Jindal Steel. The tournament is also supported by DP World PGTI’s Umbrella Partner DP World as well as Tour Partners Axis Bank, Amul, HCL Group, Amrutanjan Enerlyte, Air India Maharaja Club, Kalyani, Golf Plus Monthly and Golf Design India.
The Race to DP World India Championship crowns the DP World PGTI’s number one player and will also determine the top-24 players from the DP World PGTI Order of Merit who will earn their spots at the season-ending DP World India Championship.
About the Author
