DP World Tour player admits he ‘couldn’t sleep’ before first round in India because of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

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Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are two of the biggest names in the field for the DP World India Championship.

Both players had a gap in their schedule between the Ryder Cup and the season-ending events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

They are joined by several other star players, including Shane Lowry and Ben Griffin, and more than 20 Indian golfers.

One home favorite has now admitted that he could not contain his excitement before the first round at the Delhi Golf Club.

• READ MORE: Rory McIlroy states what has been really ‘weird’ about his golf this year as he makes comment on Justin Rose

DP World Tour player excited to share golf course with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

Many of the Indian golfers in the field this week will not have played with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood before.

That certainly applies to Dhruv Sheoran, who admitted after the first round of the DP World India Championship that he “couldn’t sleep” last night.

“It’s something I have dreamt a lot of times, watching Rory, Tommy on TV and thinking one day that I want to be playing next to them,” Sheoran said.

“It’s a dream come true in a way. I couldn’t sleep at night thinking that I’m going to be playing alongside them, so it’s really surreal to be playing here.”

Sheoran did not play in the same group as any of the biggest names on Thursday, but he could on Saturday and Sunday after a strong start to the tournament.

Why the DP World India Championship has attracted so many top players

The Indian Open has a decade-long history with the DP World Tour, but the event has consistently failed to attract top players.

That’s because the tournament takes place in March when the biggest PGA Tour stars are preparing for The Masters.

The best players typically participate in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship, and one of the Houston Open or the Valero Texas Open.

The DP World India Championship takes place during a much quieter time in the calendar, allowing the likes of McIlroy and Fleetwood to make the journey.

It’s too early to know whether the field will be this good next year, but it’s an important step in the right direction for Indian golf.