Pranavi Urs becomes first Indian woman to win a pro golf title in a mixed-gender field
In a major milestone for Indian golf, Pranavi Urs has won a professional tournament in a mixed-gender field—the first Indian woman to do so. The result signals a shift toward more inclusive formats in a sport long dominated by men.
Indian golf witnessed a landmark moment this week after Pranavi Urs became the first Indian woman to win a professional tournament while competing directly against male golfers.
The 21-year-old secured the breakthrough victory at the Indian Gold Premier League (IGPL) Invitational in Mumbai, held at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, where IGPL runs equal-prize-money events for men and women.
Urs finished ahead of a strong field of men, turning a mixed-gender experiment into a historic moment for the sport. Her win has been widely praised, with many calling it a breakthrough for young women hoping to compete at the highest level.
The significance of her achievement goes well beyond a single tournament win. Indian golf has had very few events where men and women compete in the same field, and instances of women finishing ahead of men are almost unheard of.
The IGPL is one of the few platforms experimenting with equal-prize-money, mixed-gender formats, making Urs’ victory an important marker of the sport's evolution.
Urs is already a well-known name on the domestic circuit, with multiple wins on the Women’s Pro Golf Tour. But her latest win is being seen as her most influential one so far, as it challenges longstanding assumptions in Indian golf about who gets to compete and how.
Her success could encourage more events to try mixed formats and create greater visibility for women in the sport. It also offers a strong example for young players, especially girls, seeking role models and proof that pathways into professional golf are opening in new ways.
Edited by Suman Singh