Indian Open’s 56th edition stands cancelled
The DP World (European) Tour has announced the cancellation of the 2022 US$ 2mn Hero Indian Open. The tournament was originally scheduled for February but had been postponed due to the COVID-19 situation in the country. However, the Tour was apparently unable to find a make-up date for the event.
In a statement, the DP World tour said: “After being postponed from its original scheduled date of February 17-20, it had been hoped to reschedule the Hero Indian Open later this Spring, but it will now not take place in 2022.
“Both Hero and the Indian Golf Union remain fully committed to the tournament, and along with the DP World Tour, are planning for it to return to the Tour’s schedule in 2023.”
This is the third year in a row the tournament will not be played because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The last time it was played was in 2019, when Stephen Gallacher of Scotland took the title.
The Indian Open debuted in 1964 with the backing of five-time British Open champion Peter Thomson, who won the event three times (1964, 1966 and 1976). The tournament is India’s longest continuously running annual international sporting event.
Through the years it has been known as: Indian Open (1964-1989), Wills Indian Open (1990-1996), Classic Indian Open (1997- 2001), Royal Challenge Indian Open (2002-2004) and Hero Honda Indian Open (2005-2010) before assuming its current name since 2011.
The last Indian to win it was S.S.P. Chawrasia’s successive wins in 2017. Chawrasia had also won the event in 2016, making him the first Indian to successfully defend a European Tour title.