New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): As Indian Open returns for its 2024 edition, two-time Olympian golfer Anirban Lahiri will lead India's charge at the tournament featuring 144 players, including 33 Indians.

The golf tournament starting on Thursday at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram carries a prize purse of USD 2.25 million this year to attract the best of talent.

The Indian Open is the biggest golf event in India and the leading line-up of players include Rasmus Hojgaard and Yannik Paul, who will be looking to make their mark on Indian soil.

Hojgaard will be the highest-ranked player in competition this year. Masters-bound Kazuki Higa is another name to watch, while Thorbjorn Olesen aims to defend his 2023 title.

Lahiri, currently 401st in world golf rankings and third amongst Indians, returns to the Indian Open after five years, and others leading Indian challenge include Shiv Kapur, Shubhankar Sharma and Aman Ahlawat.

Lahiri’s last global win came at this very event back in 2015 and a year later he was second. Since then he has had countless second places, none more memorable than the runner-up finish at the PLAYERS Championship in 2022.