Chandigarh, March 12 – Aman Raj, who, despite battling injuries last season, came within a whisker of winning the inaugural IGPL Order of Merit, has put himself in a very strong position to make a winning start in the brand new 2026 season.
Patna golfer Aman Raj, 30, who won twice last season, shot a brilliant 8-under 64 under the blazing sun and jumped to the top of the leaderboard, reaching 11-under. He carded a 3-under 69 on the first day at the Chandigarh Golf Club.
Last year, Aman finished second behind Pukhraj Singh Gill in the race to the IGPL Order of Merit, losing by less than Rs. 9,000. Aman was four strokes ahead of Gaganjeet Bhullar, the most successful Indian on the Asian Tour, with 11 wins. However, Aman said, “Bhullar can come back from any deficit. He is an amazing player. He showed that last year in the IGPL with his consistency.”
On his own game, Aman smiled and said, “I started with a bogey on the first hole but still managed to birdie it. It was that kind of a day. I had some trouble off the tee, but my short game was superb and that carried me through the day.”
He added, “I am feeling okay, but I just need to be more consistent. Yes, I am not completely free from minor issues, but I realize that I need to adjust and do my best. Today was one of the good days. I hope to have more like this.”
Bhullar, who was bogey-free in the first round of 68, had one bogey and four bogeys on the second. “Ironically, I played well and had been playing very well. But in the last two days, I haven’t scored well. I had many chances for birdies on both days, but I didn’t convert many. That’s what I need to work on. Otherwise, the game looks fine, and I am looking forward to a good season.”
Bhullar won three times in 2025 and finished third in the IGPL Order of Merit last year, despite playing only about half of the event, as he was also participating in the International Series and the Asian Tour.
In 2025, the battle for the Order of Merit was so close that the top three – Pukhraj (Rs. 81,90,652), Aman Raj (Rs. 81,81,708), and Bhullar (Rs. 81,30,000) – were separated by just over Rs. 60,000.
Bhullar said, “I also heard about the IGPL and International Series tie-up just as I was finishing my round. I was thrilled because I have been playing on it for a while, and it could be a game-changer for my colleagues. This could be the boost that Indian golf has been seeking, and I know India has huge talent, and now IGPL is providing the right and lucrative pathway.”
IGPL debutant, Varun Parikh, who confessed that he came to the IGPL to have a shot at the Asian Tour, had a double celebration. Following up his first 71 with a 67 in the second round, he was 6-under and third.
But more importantly, he was elated to learn about the announcement of IGPL’s historic partnership with the International Series, which will provide IGPL stars with a pathway to the highly lucrative Liv-backed International Series. “This is amazing news. I want to be on the Asian Tour and get to the International Series. When I heard about the tie-up between Liv-backed International Series and IGPL, it was a huge boost. This is massive motivation for many of us who want to be on the Asian Tour, which is closer to home and offers conditions somewhat similar to what we have played on.”
While Aman Raj was leading by a significant margin, the leaderboard behind him was packed. Apart from Bhullar (4 behind) and Parikh (5 behind), there are four players who are 5-under and six shots behind.
With Aman Raj himself showing that low scores are possible at the Chandigarh Golf Club, no lead is secure.
Kapil Kumar (70-69), one of the 2025 winners, was tied fourth alongside the seasoned Ranjit Singh (70-69) despite a closing bogey, Indian-American Manav Shah (69-70) and last year’s Pukhraj Singh Gill (70-69), who is steadily recovering from an injury suffered in the off-season.
Yashas Chandra (68-72) and former Asian Tour winner Chiragh Kumar (69-71) were tied for eighth place.
Young gun amateur Harjai Milkha Singh showed his genes are strong as he added a 3-under 69 to his first round 72 to be tied tenth alongside the pedigreed Karandeep Kochhar (70-71) and Sachin Baisoya (72-69) at a 3-under total. His father, Jeev Milkha Singh, may be playing in far-off courses in other parts of the world. But Harjai showed that Chandigarh is indeed his family turf, having produced five birdies against two bogeys.