Gaganjeet Bhullar arrives in Mauritius with confidence, momentum and familiar ambition as the AM Green Indian Golf Premier League moves into its second event of the 2026 season.
For one of Indian golf’s most accomplished professionals, the objective is simple and unchanged contend, win, and keep building toward a larger target.
The 37-year-old remains the most successful Indian on the Asian Tour with 11 titles, and he has already begun the current IGPL season in ideal fashion, winning the opening event in Chandigarh last month. Add that to his four titles on the IGPL circuit overall, and Bhullar enters the AM Green IGPL Invitational 2026 Mauritius as one of the clear players to watch.
This event is significant not just for the field but for the league itself. It is the first tournament outside India on the 2026 calendar and marks the start of the Africa leg, with South Africa and Congo to follow. Last year, the circuit expanded beyond India with events in Dubai and Sri Lanka. This season, the international footprint has grown further, underlining the league’s ambition to position itself as more than just a domestic property.
For Bhullar, Mauritius is not unfamiliar territory. He has played here before when the event at the same venue was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, and he remembers both the course and the conditions clearly. His immediate impression on arrival was one of appreciation, but also of competitive anticipation.
Bhullar described the course as beautiful but demanding, noting that the wind adds another layer of challenge. That assessment matters. Mauritius is not simply a picturesque stop on the schedule; it is a venue that will test control, patience, and course management. In that sense, it suits a player of Bhullar’s experience, someone who has spent years learning how to shape rounds under changing conditions rather than forcing them.
His message before the event was direct. Every player tees up with the intention to win, and he sees no reason to lower that expectation this week. Last year, he won the opening two events of the season in Chandigarh and Greater Noida, and he now has the chance to start another campaign in similar fashion. At the same time, he is fully aware that the field is no longer dependent on established names alone.
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The rise of players like Karandeep Kochhar and Pukhraj Singh Gill has added a new edge to the competition. Kochhar arrives in strong form after another top-five finish in Japan, while Pukhraj has already shown his consistency within the IGPL structure. Bhullar’s remarks reflect respect rather than concern. He understands that stronger domestic competition is essential if Indian golf is to develop more players capable of succeeding internationally.
That wider context is becoming increasingly important. The tie-up between the IGPL and the LIV-backed International Series has created a meaningful pathway for Indian players. Strong finishes on the Order of Merit can open doors into bigger events across Asia, Africa and Europe, and beyond that lies the possibility of reaching LIV Golf through the International Series system. Bhullar has made it clear that this is an opportunity he is taking seriously.
He wants to keep improving, despite already being one of the most decorated players in Indian golf. That is perhaps what keeps him relevant. There is no sense of nostalgia in his outlook. He is not simply defending his reputation; he is trying to use this phase of his career to position himself within a changing global golf ecosystem.
His schedule this year reflects that intent. Bhullar will divide his time across the IGPL, the International Series, and the Asian Tour, balancing immediate competition with long-term opportunity. At the same time, he remains conscious of his role within Indian golf as a senior player. On a circuit that now includes a broader spread of younger talent, his presence matters not only because of his results but because of the example he sets.
That broader growth story is central to the Mauritius event as well. With 10 city-based franchises now integrated into the AM Green IGPL structure, the league is trying to build a deeper identity that combines tour golf with team association. The ambition is clear take golf to more cities, create stronger local ownership, and make the product more relevant to younger, more digital audiences.
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Leander Paes has played a major role in bringing the event to Mauritius. The tennis legend, now also a franchise owner with Flying Man Kolkata, has been instrumental in building relationships around the event, with the Mauritius Economic Development Board also closely involved. Paes’ wider role appears to be about more than hosting; he is helping position the tournament as a bridge between sport, tourism and business.
For Bhullar, though, the equation remains refreshingly simple. Arrive, prepare, compete, and try to win. He knows the course, respects the field, and believes he is in the right kind of form to make another run.
As the AM Green IGPL moves into its Africa leg, the circuit will be judged by its ability to create both opportunity and quality. Few players represent those two ideas better than Gaganjeet Bhullar a proven winner still chasing more, and still convinced that Indian golf has room to grow much bigger.
