Veer Ganapathy and Sachin Baisoya Lead at AM Green IGPL Invitational 2026
Ganapathy and Baisoya Share First-Round Lead
Teen prodigy Veer Ganapathy, who celebrated his 18th birthday just over two weeks ago on March 25, showcased his skills by scoring 5-under 67, including two birdies in the final three holes, to take the lead in the opening round of the AM Green IGPL Invitational 2026 in Mauritius, hosted by Leander Paes.
As the day concluded, Sachin Baisoya, known for his consistent performance throughout the 2025 season with several Top-3 finishes but no victories, made a strong statement by finishing with three consecutive birdies in a bogey-free round of 67, tying him with Ganapathy at the top. His performance also propelled his team, Phoenix Hyderabad, to the forefront in the team competition, as noted in a press release from IGPL.
Tied Third Place Contenders
In a tie for third place were Amandeep Drall, Milind Soni, and Ridhima Dilawari, all scoring 69. Amandeep, a former runner-up at the Hero Women's Indian Open on the Ladies European Tour, along with Ridhima, aims to follow in the footsteps of Pranavi Urs, who made history last year as the first woman to win an AM Green IGPL event, clinching victory in Mumbai.
Team Standings Overview
In the team standings, Phoenix Hyderabad, led by co-leader Sachin Baisoya (5-under 67) and Raghav Chugh (even par 72), topped the leaderboard at 5-under. RVR Delhi, featuring Shiv Kapur (2-under 70) and Aryan Roopa Anand (1-under 71), secured second place at 3-under. Green Fuels Vizag, with Milind Soni (3-under 69) and M Dharma (1-over 73), followed closely in third at 2-under. The competition counts the two best scores from each of the four-member teams.
Veer Ganapathy's Impressive Round
Veer, recognized as the 'Young Turk' for being the best emerging player in the inaugural season last year, began his round at the par-72 Anahita Golf Course with seven birdies, despite an early double bogey. He represents the GolfKonnekt Team from Bangalore.
Later in the day, Baisoya finished strong with three consecutive birdies on holes 16, 17, and 18. Players praised the beautiful course, which has previously hosted European Tour events, while acknowledging its challenging nature due to windy conditions.
Player Insights on Course Challenges
Veer, a left-handed player coached by his father Rahul Ganapathy, remarked, "The course is fantastic but challenging with winds at 15-20 km per hour. After the initial pressure of a double bogey, I played well, and my putting was crucial today."
Having finished as a runner-up twice in the 2025 AM Green IGPL season, Veer is now in a strong position to secure his first victory. He stated, "I've focused on physical fitness and yoga during the off-season, along with extensive practice at the range, and it seems to be paying off."
Milind Soni's Progress
Milind, 20, who was selected by the Green Fuels team Vizag during the auction, reflected on his first season in the AM Green IGPL last year as a valuable learning experience. He began training with Rahul Bajaj, a former Asian Games team silver medallist, late last year.
He expressed gratitude for his new coach, saying, "Rahul sir has been instrumental in my improvement. I'm making fewer mistakes, and he has helped refine my swing and focus on the mental aspects of the game, which is starting to show. I truly enjoyed playing at the Anahita course and appreciate the opportunity to compete in the AM Green IGPL tour."
Strong Performances from Drall, Soni, and Dilawari
Amandeep, despite a bogey on the fifth hole, recovered well, scoring a birdie on the seventh and finishing the front nine at even par. On the back nine, she achieved an eagle on the Par-5 13th and concluded with a birdie on the Par-5 18th, totaling 3-under.
Milind started with a bogey but quickly recovered with birdies on the sixth and seventh holes. After bogeys on the eighth and ninth, he turned in 1-over but steadied himself on the back nine, scoring an eagle on the Par-5 13th and a birdie on the 14th.
Dilawari also finished strong, closing with birdies on the last two holes for a round of 69, joining the group in third place.
This tournament marks the second event in the AM Green IGPL season 2, which consists of 15 events, with ten taking place in India and five internationally.