New Delhi, January 22, 2026: The Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), in association with the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the Professional Golfers’ Association of India (PGAI), and The Golf Foundation (TGF) today unveiled the ‘Golf Growth Initiative,’ a landmark program designed to build the next generation of Indian golfers. Launched at the Delhi Golf Club in the presence of tennis legend Leander Paes, the initiative marks a major shift in the sport’s development, taking golf directly into schools and playgrounds to ensure talent from every corner of India is nurtured and equipped to win at the highest level.

This ambitious program brings together the entire golfing ecosystem, including mentoring by senior golf legends Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia and Gaurav Ghei to make the sport bigger and better. In a major announcement, IGPL confirmed a strategic partnership with The Golf Foundation (TGF) to drive grassroots scouting. To support this, IGPL announced the immediate establishment of world-class training facilities in Orissa, Gurgaon, and Andhra Pradesh starting this year. These centres will serve as regional hubs for identifying raw talent and providing them with professional-grade infrastructure.

Going beyond traditional academies, the initiative will conduct interactive golf sessions within schools, introducing thousands of students to the sport for the first time. This collaborative effort involves the IGU, PGAI, schools, and corporate partners, creating a unified framework to identify talent early.

Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO of IGPL, said, “Indian golf is getting bigger and better, and the time has come to build a generation that can dominate the world stage. To do this, we are taking the game directly to schools and playgrounds, ensuring that no talent is left behind. This requires a huge collective effort, which is why we are joining hands with Amit Luthra’s foundation and the IGU. We are creating avenues where youngsters don’t just train, they learn and play alongside experienced legends to become winners.”

A key pillar of the initiative is a 360-degree mentorship model, where youngsters will learn and play alongside Indian golf icons. Legends such as Shiv Kapur and Gaganjeet Bhullar will actively mentor emerging players, ensuring they are match-ready for global competition.

Indian golf legend and IGPL Icon Player Jeev Milkha Singh said, “I have always believed that for Indian golf to grow, we need to give back to the next generation. This initiative is close to my heart because it provides young players with the kind of structured guidance and mentorship that can shave years off their learning curve. By bringing experienced pros and raw talent together on the same platform, we are instilling the belief that they can beat the best in the world.”

Tennis Icon Leander Paes, partnering with IGPL to bring an Olympic-level vision to the training infrastructure, said, “I have always believed that Indian athletes have the potential to rule the world stage. Partnering with IGPL is about bringing that Olympic mindset to golf. We are building a system where talent is identified early and nurtured with the best infrastructure. This initiative is about giving our youth the belief and the tools to win at the highest level.”

Expressing the federation’s strong supported. Major Bibhuti Bhushan, Director General of the Indian Golf Union, said, “This is a significant moment where the entire fraternity is joining hands for a common goal called Golf on Wheels. Unless golf goes to schools,government schools, or tier 2, tier 3 cities, or to villages, we will not find big talent. Like what has happened in cricket and anywhere. The IGU is proud to back IGPL on this initiative because it fills a critical gap, connecting grassroots passion with professional guidance.
Seeing icons mentor young talent is exactly the kind of structured support Indian golf needs to grow.”

Amit Luthra, Founder, The Golf Foundation, added, “Partnering with IGPL allows us to take golf to schools and playgrounds on a massive scale. We are removing barriers to ensure talent from every corner of India gets the right opportunity. This initiative guarantees that the next global champion can emerge from anywhere, equipped with world-class mentorship from day one.”

The IGPL Golf Development Programme will be implemented in phases, with the new centres in Orissa, Gurgaon, and Andhra Pradesh leading the charge this year, establishing centres of excellence to drive the long-term growth of golf in India.

Photo by – Bhupesh Gupta

England’s senior batter Joe Root and the in-form Harry Brook displayed remarkable composure and skill to blunt Australia’s pace attack on Day 1 of the fifth and final Ashes Test, as rain repeatedly disrupted play at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, January 4.

After England captain Ben Stokes opted to bat first in front of a packed SCG crowd, the visitors found stability thanksto an unbeaten 154-run stand between Root and Brook. The duo guided England to 211 for 3 before fading light forced the players off the field shortly before the tea interval.

Persistent rain and the looming threat of lightning prevented any further action, leading officials to call stumps an hour early on a stop-start opening day.

At the close of play on Day 1, England appeared to hold the advantage in the rain-affected contest, with Root and Brook firmly in control and wickets in hand as the series finale delicately balanced.

Stumps – Day 1
5th Test, Ashes Series
Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
England 1st Innings: 211/3 (45 overs)