New Delhi, February 21: The inaugural edition of PGTI’s 72 The League was launched with great fanfare in New Delhi on Saturday, with the next generation of Indian golf looking forward to embracing the challenge of a brand new format.

With the likes of upcoming talents Shaurya Bhattacharya and Kartik Singh in attendance, along with seasoned pros Honey Baisoya, Manu Gandas, Ajeetesh Sandhu and Viraj Madappa, the event saw a coming together of a wide spectrum of professionals as the opening season of 72 The League formally came into being.

The glittering trophy that will be handed over to the eventual winners of the league was unveiled by Jay Shah, Chairman, ICC, in the presence of Kapil Dev, President, PGTI. The 72 The League trophy has been designed by the internationally acclaimed artist and designer, Vibhor Sogani, known for his innovative public art installations and contributions to the field of design.

Set to be played in a unique matchplay format, the league will feature six teams, each with ten professional golfers. The league aims to leverage the fine form of Indian professionals while giving them the rare opportunity for the Indian golfers to play singles, fourballs and foursome formats, something many of them haven’t yet played at a professional level.The quality of competition promises to test the teams with most golfers entering the competition on the back of solid individual performances. Honey Baisoya, the most expensive buy of the league at Rs 20.50 lakh and part of the Nava Raipur team, currently leads the PGTI Order of Merit and is coming off a win at the DP World Players Championship at Qutub Golf Course earlier this month after opening his season with a third-place finish at the SECL Chhattisgarh Open Golf Championship in the first week of February.

Baisoya was 13th at the DP World Players Championship 2026 powered by Urbana at Tollygunge Club, an event where Shaurya Bhattacharya and Manu Gandas were tied second. The presence of 16-year-old Kartik Singh further showcases the bench strength that is set to get a major fillip at the league.

Sharing his excitement for 72 The League, Baisoya said, “We were playing the practice round in Tolly and everyone was looking at Instagram.  We saw the stories on Instagram how the auction was being held.  And it was so exciting. We had a lot of discussion, and on the morning of the auction, I messaged my friend Veer (Ahlawat) saying that I have a feeling I’ll go for Rs 20 lakh. In the end, it turned out exactly like that.”

Bhattacharya, who was third on PGTI’s Order of Merit in 2025 with two wins, was determined to carry his good form into the seaosn.

“I was pre-blocked by the UP Prometheans team and I am really glad to be a part of that team. The feeling behind this week for me is excitement, but at the same time, it would be a very competitive tournament. The camaraderie within the team and how we would strategise in the team format is really interesting and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

Viraj Madappa, who returned to competition after an 18-month hiatus following a back injury, was equally chuffed about playing in a team format. “This is the first time for me to be part of a team. Golf is a very individual sport but right now you have nine other guys behind you, have your team strategist, you have a lot of people who you want to do well for. As golfers, we always have a dream to play the Ryder Cup format, but the Presidents Cup is as close as it gets for Indians. Here, we have a format very similar to that, and to play for something bigger than ourselves is very exciting,” Madappa, who is a part of the Kolkata Classics, said.

Kartik Singh, the youngest player in 72 The League and part of Mumbai Aces, said, “This is my first year on the PGTI and I’m very grateful that I’ve been selected for the league. And I’m also really excited to be playing with the team format.  And it will be really interesting playing the matchplay and the foursome, four-ball styles. It’s all a really different format than what we normally play. It will make the game a lot more interesting,” Singh said.

72 The League will also see a fair mix of international talent with 12 overseas players participating in the tournament. The most expensive overseas buy was Jhared Hack of US, who was picked up by the Nava Raipur team at Rs. 15.80 lakhs. Speaking on playing at PGTI this year and being a part of the league, Hack said, “Everybody’s been extremely welcoming. I felt like I’d been at everybody everywhere has been great. I’ve had a lot of fun. Courses have been great. And yeah, the opportunity to be a part of 72 the League and PGTI and be with an organization that helps me advance my career and help grow the game, it’s a great opportunity.”

Asian Tour winner and part of the Rajasthan Regals team, Ajeetesh Sandhu said, “I mean, it’s such a new concept for us. We’ve never played in a team format, or at least I haven’t. So yeah, think all of us are really looking forward to it. It’s going to be something and is going to be such a new challenge. And to have the opportunity to kind of help your teammates or help your co-players and youngsters, I think it’s a very exciting prospect is such a new thing in golf. It’s got so much excitement, not just in the players but you know all over the country for this, so we’re all absolutely gung-ho about this and ready to go.”

The inaugural edition of the league will be held across courses in Delhi-NCR — ITC Classic Golf & Country Club, Jaypee Greens, and Qutab Golf Course with the first day being played on February 24 at the ITC Classic course.