Gaganjeet Bhullar’s pursuit of consecutive AM Green IGPL titles got off to a promising start as the experienced campaigner shared the opening-round lead with three players chasing their maiden victories at the Green Fuels Maritime Invitational 2026.
The 11-time Asian Tour winner carded a three-under 69 at East Point Golf Club on Tuesday to join Deepak Yadav, Ravi Kumar and Kanav Chauhan at the top of the leaderboard, one stroke ahead of Yashas Chandra.
Bhullar, who won the previous event at the AM Green IGPL Krishna Invitational, is already a five-time winner on the circuit and leads the Season 2 individual standings. His latest challenge comes from a younger group looking to establish themselves on the professional stage.
Playing in Visakhapatnam for the first time, Bhullar adapted quickly despite having no opportunity for a practice round following heavy rain.
Starting from the fourth hole in a shotgun start, he opened with five consecutive pars before making his first birdie at the ninth. He then picked up three successive birdies from the 15th, with a lone bogey at the 18th preventing a blemish-free round.
The soft conditions presented a challenge across the field, with preferred lies introduced after persistent rain left sections of the course waterlogged.
Young challengers match Bhullar’s opening 69
Deepak Yadav, 24, made the most of his familiarity with East Point Golf Club, where he had previously finished runner-up twice in Andhra Pradesh amateur events.
The Delhi Golf Club player, competing in only his third AM Green IGPL tournament, produced a bogey-free 69 featuring three birdies.
Ravi Kumar, who turned professional earlier this season, matched that score with four birdies and a bogey.
Former All India Junior champion Kanav Chauhan also joined the leaders after recovering from a bogey at the 10th with four back-nine birdies, including three consecutive gains from the 15th.
Yashas Chandra occupied fifth place at two-under 70, while Nayanika Sanga was the leading woman in the field, sitting sixth after a one-under 71.
Olympian Udayan Mane, Arjun Prasad and Harshjeet Sethie shared seventh at even-par 72, while Pukhraj Singh Gill, Sachin Baisoya and Tusshar Pannu were tied 10th at one-over 73.
With four players separated by experience but level on the leaderboard, Bhullar faces an early test of his bid to extend his winning run on the AM Green IGPL Tour.
Photo – IGPL
