Chief Minister pitches golf as a key tourism driver, announces plans for golf academy, seeks to establish J&K Open as an annual fixture on PGTI’s golfing calendar
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 04: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today inaugurated the 5th edition of J&K Open 2026 DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) by teeing off the prestigious four-day tournament and unveiling the championship trophy at the picturesque Royal Springs Golf Course (RSGC), Srinagar. The event marks the return of a major professional golf tournament to Kashmir after a significant gap and underscores the Government’s renewed focus on positioning Jammu & Kashmir as a premier destination for golf tourism.
After ceremonially teeing off the tournament, the Chief Minister said that golf tourism forms an important component of the Government’s broader strategy to promote tourism in Jammu & Kashmir. He highlighted the region’s world-class golf infrastructure which include the courses at Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg in Kashmir, besides the golf course at Sidra in Jammu, adding that plans are also being explored to upgrade another golf course in the Jammu region.
The Chief Minister said that Jammu & Kashmir is already witnessing encouraging signs of golf tourism, with visitors travelling to Srinagar specifically for weekend golfing experiences. “This year, even without active promotion of golf tourism, we have seen people flying into Srinagar for a long weekend of golf—arriving on Friday, playing through the weekend and returning on Sunday evening or Monday morning. This is exactly the kind of tourism we want to promote,” he said.
Describing the J&K Open as a landmark event, Omar Abdullah said the tournament would help place Kashmir, particularly the Royal Springs Golf Course, firmly back on India’s golfing map. He noted that the championship has attracted more than 100 professional golfers, including over 10 international participants, reflecting the growing appeal of Jammu & Kashmir as a sporting destination.
Expressing confidence that the tournament would become a regular feature, the Chief Minister said the Government’s endeavour is to make the J&K Open an annual event for at least the next five years. He added that efforts would be made to progressively enhance both the prize money and participation in the coming editions, thereby strengthening the tournament’s stature on the professional golfing circuit.
Highlighting the importance of nurturing local talent, the Chief Minister said that such tournaments provide invaluable exposure to young golfers through interactions and competitions alongside seasoned professionals. He informed that the Government is also planning to establish a golf academy in Kashmir to identify and groom young talent from an early age, enabling them to compete at the national and international levels.
Referring to the recent sporting achievements of athletes from Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said the region’s youth possess immense talent across several sport disciplines. He cited the recent selection of J&K cricketer Auqib Nabi in the Indian Test squad for the Sri Lanka series and the remarkable international success of local mixed martial arts fighter Owais Yaqoob as examples of the sporting potential that exists in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our boys and girls have talent. What they need is exposure and opportunities. By organizing more tournaments like this and encouraging local competitions, we can provide that exposure, inspire more youngsters to take up sports and help them excel at the highest levels,” the Chief Minister said.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, Dr. Ashish Chandra Verma, CEO PGTI Amandeep Johal, Secretary Royal Springs Golf Course Haris Ahmad Handoo, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad and other senior officers were present on the occasion.
