Karandeep Kochhar Gears Up for IGPL Invitational 2026 in Mauritius

Excitement Builds for IGPL Invitational 2026

St. Louis [Mauritius], April 6: Karandeep Kochhar, who recently had a stellar performance in Japan, is eagerly anticipating his arrival in Mauritius for the IGPL Invitational 2026, an event hosted by tennis icon Leander Paes. This tournament marks the beginning of the African segment of the IGPL 2026.

The 27-year-old golfer, traveling directly from Japan to Mauritius, achieved a tied fifth-place finish in Japan, marking his second top-5 result in just three outings on the Asian Tour this year.

Kochhar is enthusiastic about adding to his IGPL victories following his triumph at the IGPL Invitational in Dubai.

As he prepares for the IGPL Invitational 2026 in Mauritius, Kochhar expressed, “I am thrilled to return to Mauritius. I played there a few years back in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at the Anahita Course, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour, and Sunshine Tour. It’s fantastic to be back for the IGPL at the same venue.”

The event will feature top Indian golfers, including Kochhar, Gaganjeet Bhullar, an 11-time Asian Tour champion, Pukhraj Gill, the 2025 IGPL Order of Merit leader, and Aman Raj, a multiple IGPL winner.

Kochhar remarked, “I have previously stated that establishing a Tour like the IGPL, which began less than a year ago, and forming partnerships with the International Series to bring events to Mauritius demonstrates strong leadership. Kudos to everyone involved.”

Reflecting on his past experience in Mauritius, he noted, “I played this golf course about six or seven years ago. I’m excited to return, especially with the introduction of the team format.”

“I had a fantastic week in Japan, learned a lot about my game, and I’m eager to carry that momentum into Mauritius, despite the long journey and varying weather conditions,” he added.

Kochhar aims for a strong finish in the upcoming weeks to build confidence before heading to the International Series in Singapore.

Leander Paes has been instrumental in organizing this event in Mauritius.

With the new team format, Paes’ team, Flyingman Ventures from Kolkata, featuring Varun Parikh, Kartik Sharma, Syed Saqib Ahmed, and Sukhman Singh, will also compete.

Kochhar’s team, Krishna Auto from Punjab, includes Harendra Gupta, Kapil Kumar, and C Muniyappa. Kochhar previously won the 2025 IGPL Invitational in Dubai and was the runner-up at the IGPL Invitational in Kolkata.

He believes that the exposure and collaboration with the LIV-backed International Series will showcase the depth of Indian talent and provide younger players with a clearer path forward.

Kochhar praised the partnership between the IGPL and LIV-Golf-backed International Series, stating, “It’s a great opportunity for our players to participate in International Series events and potentially advance to LIV Golf Promotions.”

In summary, Kochhar emphasized that the IGPL offers a new pathway for Indian golfers to access global competitions.

Arriving in Mauritius in excellent form, Kochhar recently won the Egypt Golf Series – Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour and secured a top-5 finish in the Philippine Golf Championship.

The African leg of the IGPL will feature events in Mauritius, South Africa, and Congo, along with additional events in each franchise city and two international tournaments.

The ten franchises, each with four players, include Phoenix (Hyderabad), Atri (Mumbai), Flyingman Ventures (Kolkata), RVR Infra (Delhi), Vimtra Ventures (Chennai), Green Fuels (Vizag), Auro Realty (Goa), GolfKonnekt (Bengaluru), Krishna Auto (Punjab), and Honer Homes Consortium (Gurugram).

The team format will count the two best scores for each round, with points accumulating throughout the season to determine the top teams.

Individual winners will not only receive prize money but also earn positions on the IGPL Order of Merit, which can lead to participation in $2 million International Series events across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The season-long International Series Rankings provide a direct route to the LIV Golf League.