Indian golf legend Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia produced a composed, bogey-free opening round to take the outright lead at the IGPL UAE, hosted by Shiv Kapur, as the Indian Golf Premier League made its maiden international appearance at the Els Club in Dubai.
Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner and one of the most experienced campaigners in the field, signed for a superb 7-under 65 to open up a two-shot advantage after the first round. It marked his best-ever start across any IGPL event and underlined his comfort on a course he knows well from his years competing on the European and Asian Tours.
The 47-year-old was steady and efficient throughout the day, picking up three birdies on the front nine before adding four more on the back nine without putting a foot wrong. His clean card stood out on a challenging layout that still yielded some low scores but demanded precision off the tee and control into the greens.
Sitting two shots back at 5-under 67 was the ever-reliable Gaganjeet Bhullar, whose stunning run on the IGPL Tour continued. Bhullar, who has won every IGPL event he has played so far this season, once again showcased his consistency with a bogey-free round. He made birdies on the seventh and eighth holes on the front nine before adding three more on the 11th, 13th and 16th to stay firmly in contention.
Sharing second place with Bhullar was teenage sensation Kartik Singh, who carded six birdies against a lone bogey to post an impressive 67. Kartik, who has come close to breaking through for his first IGPL title earlier this season, once again showed maturity beyond his years, holding his own alongside seasoned professionals he has long admired.
Behind the leading trio, a tightly packed leaderboard began to take shape. A strong group of five players, including two women professionals, shared fourth place at 3-under par. Hitaashee Bakshi and IGPL Mumbai champion Pranavi Urs led the women’s charge, joined by Karandeep Kochhar, Trishul Chinappa and the evergreen M Dharma, who continues to demonstrate remarkable consistency.
A further nine players were bunched together at 2-under par in tied-ninth position, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of the field. Among them were IGPL Order of Merit leader Aman Raj, veteran Ranjit Singh, Yashas Chandra, former Asian Tour winner Chiragh Kumar, big-hitting Pukhraj Singh Gill, Ladies European Tour regular Ridhima Dilawari, in-form Shaurya Binu, prodigious teenager Veer Ganapathy, and promising amateur Vihaan Reddy.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
Speaking after his round, an upbeat Chawrasia attributed his strong start to both familiarity and comfort. “I love this city. I’ve played a lot of European Tour events here and really enjoy the vibe,” he said. “The facilities are excellent, I have many friends here, and it feels nice to come with the IGPL Tour. Shooting 7-under in this setting was the icing on the cake. Since this is the first season of IGPL, it would be special to own one of those trophies.”
Bhullar, meanwhile, remained characteristically relaxed despite the pressure of expectations. “I’m enjoying myself on the IGPL Tour. There’s no pressure, and it’s great to see youngsters like Kartik Singh up there with me,” he said. “Playing alongside experienced players is great education for them. My game feels solid, and I’ll try to keep the momentum going and make it four wins out of four.”
Further down the leaderboard, Avani Prashanth, fresh from a successful Ladies European Tour season where she retained her card for 2026, opened with a 1-under round to sit tied-19th alongside Tushar Pannu, Harshjeet Sethie, Gaurav Ghei and Sunhit Bishnoi, who is returning from a wrist injury.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
Tournament host Shiv Kapur carded a 1-over 73 to finish the day in tied-23rd, while Jeev Milkha Singh, arriving directly from Mauritius after finishing runner-up on the European Legends Tour, endured a turbulent 2-over 74 with five birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey, placing him tied-33rd.
With 22 players breaking par on day one, the IGPL’s international debut has already delivered high-quality golf, setting up an intriguing battle as the chase for the title gathers momentum in Dubai.
