Teenaged sensation Veer Ganapathy delivered one of the finest rounds of his young career, firing a flawless 8-under 64 to seize the sole lead at the IGPL Invitational Ahmedabad.
The 18-year-old, who had endured the disappointment of missing the cut at last week’s Bharath Classic, responded with remarkable maturity and control at the Glade One Resort, opening up a commanding three-shot lead over Mexico’s Santiago de la Fuentes, the talented special invitee to the event.
For Veer, the performance was more than just a great round it was a statement of resilience. The youngster had missed the cut in a dual-sanctioned event of the Asian Tour and IGPL at Kensville, but instead of letting frustration linger, he chose to reset and refine his approach. The result was a bogey-free masterpiece that highlighted both his potential and his temperament.
Veer, the son of former India No. 1 and multiple-time professional winner Rahul Ganapathy, has been steadily growing into his own identity on tour. Coached by his father, he has carried a reputation for length off the tee, but in Ahmedabad, it was his all-round consistency that stood out. “I knew I had the game and somehow it just didn’t come together at Kensville,” Veer said after the round. “This week I was determined. Today all parts of the game clicked, and I hope to continue in the same vein.”
His card featured six birdies and an eagle, showing both precision and aggression. Veer started his day with a birdie on the 2nd, followed by two more on the 6th and 8th. The highlight came at the Par-4 9th, where he produced an exceptional approach that dropped for an eagle two, pushing him to 5-under 31 at the turn. On the back nine, he added birdies on the 11th, 13th, and 14th, maintaining rhythm and focus even when opportunities for further gains presented themselves. He parred his final four holes, making key saves when needed. “Overall, a happy day,” he said, reflecting the ease with which he managed the conditions.
Behind him, Santiago de la Fuentes winner of the 2024 Latin America Amateur Championship, a triumph that earned him entry to three Majors: The Masters, the US Open, and The Open showed flashes of the brilliance that has made him one of golf’s most exciting young prospects. The 24-year-old, who studied at Houston and had impressed at the Bharath Classic as well, made a blistering start with four birdies in his first four holes. He added two more on the back nine, offset by a single bogey, to sign for a polished 5-under 67, placing him firmly in second place.
In a tie for third at 4-under, three players emerged: Sachin Baisoya, Harshjeet Singh Sethie, and Yashas Chandra. Baisoya, who had thrilled fans with a 10-under final round at Kensville a week earlier, was on track for another strong finish before a costly double bogey on the 18th dropped him from 6-under to 4-under. Sethie continued to build on his recent rise, showcasing improved consistency, while Mysuru golfer Chandra pieced together a solid round featuring five birdies and a single bogey.
A cluster of experienced campaigners and rising talents made up the group at 3-under, tied for fifth. Among them was Indian golfing icon SSP Chawrasia, who offered glimpses of the class that earned him multiple European Tour titles. He was joined by Kapil Kumar, the winner at the IGPL Pune edition earlier this season.
The group at 2-under, tied for eighth, included Kartik Singh, Filipino invitee Justin Quiban, Indian-American Manav Shah, Asian Development Tour winner Karandeep Kochhar, as well as Aalaap IL and Raghav Chugh all of whom kept themselves in contention heading into the next round.
One of the day’s standout moments came from Gaganjeet Bhullar, returning to competition after attending to family matters. The seasoned pro delivered the tournament’s first hole-in-one on the Par-3 12th. Though three bogeys on the front nine slowed his momentum, his ace and two back-nine birdies helped him close at 1-under, placing him in a tie for 14th alongside Pukhraj Singh Gill, the IGPL Jamshedpur champion.
Also at 1-under was Ridhima Dilawari, who emerged as the top-performing woman golfer on Day One. Her steady 71 made her one of only 16 players to finish under par, underlining the tough scoring conditions for much of the field.
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With three days of competition still ahead, Veer Ganapathy has established early control, but as the IGPL has often shown, momentum can shift quickly. The presence of Major qualifiers, seasoned Indian pros, and promising young talents ensures that the battle for the Invitational Ahmedabad title is far from over. For now, though, the spotlight rests firmly on Veer a teenager proving he belongs at the top level, and perhaps signalling the arrival of Indian golf’s next breakout star.
