St. Louis (Mauritius, April 6) – Karandeep Kochhar, fresh from a successful week in Japan, is excited about competing in the IGPL Invitational 2026 – Mauritius, hosted by Leander Paes, which marks the third leg of the Indian Premier League (IGPL) 2026 in Africa.
The 27-year-old Kochhar, who arrived straight from Japan, finished fifth in Japan, securing his second top-5 finish this year on the Asian Tour. He is also eager to build on his success at the IGPL Invitational Dubai.
Speaking about the upcoming IGPL Invitational 2026 – Mauritius, Kochhar said, “I’m excited about coming to Mauritius. I played there a few years ago (in 2019) at the Anahita Course during the Mauritius Open, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the European Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. To be back at that same golf course for the IGPL is fantastic.”
The IGPL Invitational 2026 – Mauritius will feature top Indian players, including Kochhar, Gaganjeet Bhullar (an 11-time Asian Tour winner), Pukhraj Gill (the IGPL Order of Merit topper in 2025), and Aman Raj (a multiple IGPL winner), among others.
Kochhar commented, “I’ve said before that organizing a tournament like the IGPL, which started just six months ago, and having associations like the International Series, along with events in Mauritius, demonstrates the strength of the leadership. It’s truly impressive, and kudos to the leadership and the International Series, Liv Golf, and everyone involved.”
Regarding his trip to Mauritius, Kochhar added, “I played this golf course maybe six or seven years ago. I'm really looking forward to returning, and of course, the team format is starting now. I’m also excited about that.”
He continued, “I had a great week in Japan, so I’m really happy. I performed well and learned a lot about myself. I now look forward to Mauritius, which is a long journey from Japan. The weather conditions are also different every day, and that’s a bit tiring. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to it.”
Kochhar aims to have a strong finish in the upcoming weeks, build momentum, and then participate in the International Series Singapore Open with confidence.
Tennis legend Paes has spearheaded the event in Mauritius.
With the team format also being introduced, Paes’ team, Flyingman Ventures (Kolkata), comprising Varun Parikh, Kartik Sharma, Syed Saqib Ahmed, and Sukhman Singh, will also be competing in the event.
Kochhar’s team, Krishna Auto (Punjab), will consist of Kochhar, Harendra Gupta, Kapil Kumar, and C Muniyappa. Kochhar won the 2025 IGPL Invitational UAE in Dubai, and previously finished second at the IGPL Invitational Kolkata.
He believes that exposure, along with the new partnership with the LIV-backed International Series, can help showcase the talent of Indian players and provide younger players with a clearer understanding of their future prospects.
Kochhar emphasized the partnership between the IGPL and the LIV-backed International Series, which provides Indian players with a clear pathway to world-class tournaments. “It's great for our players to have the chance to participate in International Series events and hopefully compete in LIV Golf Promotions, and see what happens from there.”
In summary, Kochhar believes that the IGPL provides a new pathway for Indian players to compete in global events.
Kochhar arrived in Mauritius in excellent form, having won the Egypt Golf Series - Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour in late 2025 and finishing in the top 5 on the 2025 ADT Order of Merit, earning him a spot on the Asian Tour. He also achieved a fourth-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a fifth-place finish in Japan.
The Africa leg will include events in Mauritius, South Africa, and Congo, along with one event in each of the franchisee cities, plus two additional international events.
The 10 franchises, each with four players on their roster, are 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 see the two best scores from each round counted, with points accumulating throughout the season to determine the top-finishing teams.
Besides prize money, the individual winners will also compete for positions on the IGPL Order of Merit, which can grant them spots in $2 million International Series events across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The International Series rankings will provide a direct pathway to the LIV Golf League.