Noida-based UP Prometheans joins India's inaugural professional golf league ahead of player auction and February debut
India's first national professional golf league has its opening franchise.
The Professional Golf Tour of India announced Tuesday that UP Prometheans, a Noida-based team owned by Prometheus School, will be among the six city-based franchises competing when '72 The League' launches next month.
An educational institution enters the arena
The franchise acquisition marks an unconventional entry into Indian sports ownership for Prometheus School, founded in 2019. For founder chairperson and CEO Mukesh Sharma, the investment represents more than athletic competition.
"Golf in India is at an exciting inflection point, and this league represents a unique platform to nurture talent while elevating the level of the sport," Sharma said in a statement, describing the franchise as "a long-term commitment to the growth of Indian golf and emerging athletes."
Building toward kickoff
The announcement comes as the league prepares for its player auction on January 31, 2026, where each franchise will select 10 professional golfers from the PGTI circuit through what organizers promise will be a transparent process. It's being positioned as one of the largest competitive platforms Indian professional golf has assembled.
Kapil Dev, the cricket legend who serves as PGTI president, welcomed the franchise addition. "It will certainly create a buzz among golf lovers in the city as the excitement builds towards the start of the league," he said.
The format takes shape
Launched in partnership with Game of Life Sports, the league will run from February 21 through March 6, 2026, across three prestigious Delhi NCR venues: Classic Golf & Country Club, Jaypee Greens Golf Course and Qutab Golf Course.
The competition will feature a fast-paced match-play format designed specifically for broadcast, a departure from traditional stroke-play tournaments that can stretch across four days with limited dramatic peaks.
The accessibility pitch
Amit Kharabanda, co-founder of Game of Life Sports, framed the league as part of a broader effort to democratize a sport long associated with exclusivity in India. "Our vision is to create golf properties and experiences that inspire and elevate the game," he said, emphasizing plans "to make the sport more accessible, popular and mainstream."
To that end, the league is planning Pro-Am events pairing professionals with amateurs, immersive fan zones, live entertainment and behind-the-scenes digital content—all aimed at audiences who might never have considered watching professional golf.
Whether UP Prometheans and the yet-to-be-announced franchises can deliver on that ambition will become clear when play begins in six weeks. For now, Indian golf has its first team, and the clock is ticking toward an auction that will determine which players wear the Prometheans' colors.