Lahiri, 28, now ranked inside World's Top-50 and who featured in all four Majors and the Presidents Cup last year, won the Hero Indian Open in a remarkable run of three weeks, during which he won two times on the Tour, to hit global headlines.

As he made his way through a global schedule, Lahiri finished tied-fifth at the PGA Championships, to register the best finish ever by an Indian at a Major. He also made cuts at the Masters and The Open.

Even as he attained new heights in the game and went on to earn a PGA Tour card for 2016, Lahiri ranked the win at the Hero Indian Open as „achieving a lifelong dream‟.

As he returns to defend his title, Lahiri said, “Winning the Hero Indian Open was a lifelong dream and to be able to come back and defend one's own National Open title is indeed a matter of pride. This was one of the proudest moments in my career.”

Lahiri is currently playing on the PGA Tour and will arrive into India straight from the World Golf Championships.

Lahiri is now the front runner for the Olympic berth as the sport returns to the Games after a gap of more than 100 years. Golf was last played at the Olympic Games in 1904.

Lahiri has represented India at the Asian Games (and won a team silver); has played the World Cup; the EurAsia Cup for Asia; and been on the International Team at the Presidents Cup.

Entries are still being received and the final list of players will be known closer to the event. But all top Indian stars are expected to tee up at the DGC, which after hosting the inaugural edition in 1964, has hosted the Open more than half the number of times in its 52-year-long existence.

Nimbus Sport, which has promoted the Hero Indian Open since 2011, has acquired the rights to manage the tournament after it got co-sanctioned by Asian Tour and European Tour in 2015 as well.

Apart from Hero MotoCorp, the other sponsors in the Hero Indian Open are Rolex, Emirates, DP World, Jumeirah Golf Estates, BMW, Titleist and Golf Plus Magazine.