Lahiri hopes Int'l Series India inspires next generation

Initial discussions among various executives and business leaders about bringing an International Series tournament to India were positive, but it was still very early stages. That’s when Anirban Lahiri, the country’s top player for more than a decade, received a call.

No one had to ask Lahiri if he wanted to be involved. That was a given, as he’s been pushing for a big-time golf event in India for quite some time in hopes of raising the sport’s profile. He wants the game to grow, especially with junior players who have little exposure to the sport.

So, the question became: Can you help in raising the profile of the event?

Lahiri knew exactly what to do – just convince some of his fellow LIV Golf players to compete this week, including the golf world’s most popular full-time player, his Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau.

“For me personally, it was more about the field,” Lahiri said. “A lot of us on LIV want to travel, want to positively impact the game globally. I know Bryson definitely does.

“Also, a lot of the guys who are my friends on LIV, who pretty much played most of their golf on the PGA Tour, have always wanted to go to India as a destination itself.

“So for me, it’s a great way to promote my country, promote golf in my country, bring some of the best golfers in the world, potentially the best field to ever grace our land. Whatever I can do in my little way, I’m happy to.”

As anybody who has met Lahiri knows, it’s hard to say no to one of golf’s friendliest players.

And so this week, when the International Series India presented by DLF begins Thursday at DLF Golf and Country Club, no less than 13 full-time LIV Golf League players will be in the field, representing seven different teams, including two captains – reigning U.S. Open champion DeChambeau and Torque GC’s Joaquin Niemann, the No. 2 player in LIV Golf last year. In addition, several players who’ve previously competed in LIV Golf will be in the International Series season opener. The 2025 LIV Golf season begins the following week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

For DeChambeau, it’s the first time he’s stepped foot in India. He was happy to support his friend.

“It’s a very important week for him,” DeChambeau said. “… I’ve never been there, but it’s a country that has fascinated me. I’ve always loved being a global player.”

Aakash Ohri, DLF’s joint managing direction and chief business officer who was instrumental in the event’s origins along with International Series head Rahul Singh, expects this tournament to be a game-changer when it comes to his country’s golfing conscious.

“I feel India is ready for the next level of golf,” Ohri said. “It’s taken a decade of tournaments to get to this particular points. But from now on, I think tournaments like these are the ones that will kind of propel it to the next level.”

Of particular importance is the impact that International Series India will have on exposing the country’s youth to the game. The tournament isn’t solely about the competition; a primary goal is to provide opportunities for juniors to be involved at all levels.

“For any sport to grow, you need to have the youngsters endorse it, right?” Ohri said. “And golf comes very naturally to India with the swing because of cricket and [field] hockey being so popular.

“India’s primary sport is cricket. But India is a large country. It’s over a billion people. There’s no dearth of people. It just needs to be propelled in the right direction. Tournaments like these take it to the next level.”

Lahiri recalls that when he was growing up, he watched Arjun Atwal win the Indian Open in Calcutta in 1999. Although Tiger Woods was the game’s biggest star, Lahiri rarely saw him play because of the time difference. That’s why events inside the country with big-name stars are so important.

“The big impact on kids, juniors, even amateurs who play the sport seriously and want to become pros, all that happens when they actually hear, see, feel and can really taste the golf shot and the skills and the imaginations of the best players in the world,” Lahiri said.

“My first time actually playing with Tiger or Phil [Mickelson] or Henrik [Stenson] going back 10, 12 years ago was something that made me go, oh wow, you can do that. You can actually hit a ball like that.

“A lot of those things are unbeknownst to most of us. But that’s the kind of impact that I hope this event brings. It can inspire the next generation.”