Chandigarh, March 10 (IANS) Gaganjeet Bhullar, who launched the Indian Golf Premier League with a win at the first event in 2025, returns to the Chandigarh Golf Club to begin the new 2026 season.
Bhullar will lead the field at the IGPL Invitational 2026 in Chandigarh, hosted by K R I S H N A. As India’s most successful player on the Asian Tour with 11 wins, the third highest overall, Bhullar heads a talented lineup that includes powerful hitter Pukhraj Singh Gill, who topped the 2025 IGPL Order of Merit; Asian Tour standout Karandeep Kochhar, also an IGPL winner in 2025; and Aman Raj, who narrowly missed winning the Order of Merit title to Pukhraj.
The 2025 battle was extremely close, with the top three players, Pukhraj (Rs. 81,90,652), Aman Raj (Rs. 81,81,708), and Bhullar (Rs. 81,30,000) differing by just over Rs. 60,000.
A total of 58 players, including nine amateurs, will compete in the main event from March 11–13, with no cut. The Pro-Am takes place on 14 March.
The Rs. 1.5 Crore event, scheduled to launch the 2026 season, will also feature notable participants such as the distinguished Varun Parikh, a multiple-time winner; Indian-American Manav Shah, who has won on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica; and Varun Chopra.
“We are very excited to tee off with our Season 2 of IGPL. It was a hugely successful inaugural season and our plans have been very much on track,” Uttam Singh Mundy, the CEO of IGPL and a highly accomplished professional from earlier years with numerous wins in India, commented.
He added, “It seemed most appropriate to start our 2026 season in Chandigarh for this is where IGPL started its journey last year. Chandigarh is like a nursery of Indian golf and it has given us so many stars.”
He also mentioned that IGPL’s top players, including Order of Merit winner Pukhraj Singh Gill, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Karandeep Kochhar, and Aman Raj, who are all prominent winners, will be competing this week.
“Our breakout stars like Veer Ganapathy will be joined by some more teen stars and our mentors and icons like SSP Chawrasia and Gaurav Ghei, who will play the full season, are ready to take this young generation to new heights. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing our additional plans to take the golf ecosystem to the next level.”
Bhullar’s credentials are widely recognized. His legendary victories across Asia and India, along with his involvement in charities, junior golf, and mentoring young talents, highlight his diverse contributions beyond golf. Additionally, being the son of a former India athlete adds to his distinguished background. “The game has given me a lot and I want to give back to the game,” says the 37-year-old, who feels he has a lot of years left to play top-level golf in Asia and Europe. Bhullar, a regular on the Asian Tour, plans to divide his time between the Asian Tour, International Series, and the IGPL.
The young team will be led by Veer Ganapathy, who has come close to his first victory multiple times. Named the ‘Young Turk’ of 2025, this 18-year-old from Bengaluru and son of professional Rahul Ganapathy finished seventh in the 2025 IGPL standings. Raghav Chugh, 22, and newcomer Arjun Bhati, 21, are also part of the young pros in the field, all aiming for their first major professional win.
The amateur segment will showcase Harjai Milkha Singh, the son of legendary Jeev Milkha Singh, who has been performing well on the Indian Golf Union circuit. Other notable amateurs will include Krish Chawla and Chaitanya Pandey.
The invitees include the legendary SSP Chawrasia, a six-time Asia winner, with four wins on the DP World Tour and two Indian Open titles. Gaurav Ghei, the first Indian to play in the Open, has committed to the full season and is actively involved in coaching young players and promoting the sport.
Pukhraj, whose brother Digraj is also a professional golfer, learned the game in Ludhiana before travelling across Punjab to refine his skills. Currently based in Chandigarh, he is regarded as one of India's most promising golfers and views IGPL as a stepping stone to advance his career in Asia and beyond.
Kochhar emerged as a star in 2025. As India's youngest professional winner, he achieved his first international victory in Egypt last year and has since become a full member of the Asian Tour. “I feel playing a mix of IGPL and Asian Tour has been great for me,” said Kochhar, who was one of the IGPL winners in 2025.
The 58-player field includes multiple winner Aman Raj, Olympian Udayan Mane, Sachin Baisoya, Kapil Kumar, Aryan Roopa Anand, former Indian Open champion C. Muniyappa, and former Asian Tour winner Chiragh Kumar.
--IANS
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