Indian golfer Varun Chopra came from three shots back on the final day to win the AM Green IGPL Invitational at Al Hamra Golf Club, as the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) staged its first event in the emirate. The IGPL Ras Al Khaimah tournament, presented by Vimtra Chennai Lions Golf Club, ran from 23 to 25 September and opened the second half of the league’s 2026 season. Chopra closed with a 4-under-par 68 for a 14-under total of 202, finishing two strokes clear of overnight leader Shiv Kapur. The event made Ras Al Khaimah only the second UAE destination to host the league, after Dubai staged its first UAE event last December.
How Chopra overturned a three-shot deficit
Kapur set the pace from the start, opening with a 10-under 62 and following it with a 69 to hold a three-shot lead after 36 holes. On the final day, though, he could not find a single birdie, dropped a shot on the par-4 12th and signed for a 1-over 73.
Chopra, who had posted rounds of 66 and 68, began his final round with a birdie and added three more between the fifth and eighth holes. That took him to 4-under for the front nine and into the lead at the turn. He birdied the 14th, bogeyed the 16th and then parred the last two holes to close out the win. Kapur finished second at 12-under 204.
The victory earned Chopra the first prize of Rs 22.50 lakh, with Kapur collecting Rs 15 lakh. It is Chopra’s first IGPL title; earlier this year he won the APGA Tour championship and performed well at the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech event. Sachin Baisoya took third at 8-under after a closing 68, while Veer Ganapathy, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Varun Parikh, Aryan Roopa Anand and Tushar Pannu shared fifth. IGPL debutant Ravi Kumar and Kanav Chauhan tied for ninth.
Chopra’s win also delivered the team title for Auro Goa Eagles, who finished on 23-under, ahead of Kapur’s RVR Delhi Blue Bulls on 21-under. Hyderabad Firebirds and Flying Man Kolkata tied for third on 13-under.
Why the IGPL visit matters for Ras Al Khaimah
The 2026 IGPL season opened in Chandigarh before travelling to Mauritius, South Africa and Morocco. Bringing a franchise event to Al Hamra adds Ras Al Khaimah to a circuit that blends competitive golf with networking and hospitality for business leaders, partners and sponsors. Ahead of the event, IGPL chief executive Uttam Singh Mundy described the league and the emirate as partners in growing the sport.
Al Hamra Golf Club already has a strong tournament record. It hosted the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championships from 2022 to 2025 and staged European Challenge Tour events three times between 2016 and 2018. The IGPL event keeps professional golf on the venue’s calendar and taps into the emirate’s close ties with India, one of its most important visitor and investment markets.
It also fits the emirate’s wider tourism strategy, which leans on sport, outdoor adventure and premium resorts to draw visitors ahead of major openings such as Wynn Al Marjan Island. Events that bring players, sponsors and their guests to Ras Al Khaimah fill hotel rooms and introduce new audiences to a destination many still know mainly for beaches and Jebel Jais.
Playing golf in Ras Al Khaimah as a visitor
Al Hamra Golf Club is an 18-hole championship course in the Al Hamra area on the emirate’s southern coast, within easy reach of several beach resorts. Our Al Hamra area guide covers where to stay, eat and spend time in the neighbourhood, and our RAK hotels reviews include several resorts a short drive from the course.
The cooler months from October to April are peak golf season in the UAE, when temperatures ease and tee times fill up faster. If you are planning a golf break:
- Book tee times in advance, especially for weekend mornings.
- Ask your hotel about golf packages or discounted green fees for guests.
- Plan early starts during October, when afternoons can still be hot.
For ideas beyond the fairways, our guide to things to do in Ras Al Khaimah covers mountain adventures, heritage sites and beach days that pair well with a round or two.
Source: The News Mill (with ANI inputs)