Gaganjeet Bhullar Rallies From Four Points Behind To Win IGPL Chandigarh In Style, Debutant Varun Parikh Finishes Second

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Gaganjeet Bhullar defended his IGPL Invitational Chandigarh title on March 13, 2026. He came from four shots behind at Chandigarh Golf Club. Bhullar closed with a bogey free 4-under 68. He finished at 11-under, three ahead of debutant Varun Parikh, in the season’s opening event.

Bhullar posted rounds of 68 and 69 on the first two days. His final round surged on the back nine. He picked three birdies in four holes from the 13th to the 16th. Across three rounds, he dropped only one bogey. That bogey came during his second round.

Scores and final leaderboard

Bhullar’s 11-under total gave him a clear win. Parikh, also an IGPL debutant, shot 71-67-70 for 8-under. He secured second place with a par on the final hole. Another debutant, Manav Shah, and Sachin Baisoya shared third at 7-under, after rounds of 70 and 68 respectively.

Order of Merit stars and top ten finishers

Overnight leader Aman Raj struggled to a 77 and slipped. He ended fifth at 6-under. Varun Chopra shot a 67 and claimed sixth at 5-under. Last year’s Order of Merit champion, Pukhraj Singh Gill, shared seventh with Karandeep Kochhar and Kapil Kumar at 4-under.

The top ten showed a mix of youth and experience. Six time Asian Tour winner SSP Chawrasia shot 70. Harendra Gupta and Veer Ganapathy carded 69s. Left hander Kartik Sharma closed with 72. They joined the leading group to round off the top positions in Chandigarh.

Bhullar’s consistency and home course comfort

This was Bhullar’s fourth IGPL win in six appearances. Last year, he won the first two IGPL events and later a third. He played only five IGPL events in 2025. Still, he finished third on the Order of Merit, behind Pukhraj Singh Gill and Aman Raj.

Bhullar spoke of his mental approach on home turf. “A win is always most satisfying, and I try to stay focused at all times,” he said. “I love this course, this is my home course.” He stressed that keeping bogeys low remains his key target.

IGPL’s new tie up and CEO reaction

IGPL CEO, Uttam Singh Mundy, flew in from Singapore for the event. He had been a signatory to the tie up between the IGPL and the International Series. He praised Bhullar, saying he is the best Indian golfer right now, with results to prove that.

Mundy noted Bhullar’s role in guiding young players. He said it felt right that Bhullar won the first event of the 2026 IGPL season. Mundy linked it to Bhullar’s similar start in 2025. He also pointed to the strong impact of new players in the top six.

Debutants impress, Parikh credits Bhullar’s guidance

The field featured several newcomers to the IGPL. Mundy highlighted Varun Parikh, Manav Shah and Varun Chopra. All three joined the IGPL this year. Their top six finishes led him to call them major assets. Bhullar also praised Parikh’s calm play in the final group.

Parikh said Bhullar had helped guide his career choice. “He is calm and composed even when a shot is not up to his expectations,” Parikh said. He added that Bhullar’s advice pushed him towards the IGPL, as a pathway to the Asian Tour and the International Series.

Parikh welcomed Thursday’s news of the IGPL and International Series tie up. He called his round with Bhullar an education. He also underlined Bhullar’s record as an 11-time Asian Tour winner. Parikh finished second on debut and said he was pleased with that start.