Lubumbashi, April 21 (NationPress) Tushar Pannu, a professional golfer with under a year of experience, demonstrated his quick learning abilities by scoring an impressive 6-under 67 at the Par-73 Golf Club Lubumbashi during the debut of the AM Green IGPL in Congo.

Pannu, aged 21, who turned professional last year after advancing through the Qualifying School, achieved this remarkable feat with five birdies, one eagle, and a single bogey.

He shares the top score with Mannat Brar, a 19-year-old who recently became a pro under the Women’s Golf Association, and also finished with a 6-under 67 while remaining bogey-free throughout her round.

The IGPL Invitational Congo marks the fourth leg of the IGPL Tour 2026, and this week is the third event in the African Swing following the initial legs in Chandigarh, Mauritius, and Joburg, South Africa. This week’s tournament is hosted at the eco-friendly Golf Club de Lubumbashi, a renowned facility in Congo.

As Pannu and Mannat occupied the lead, rookie pro Sukhman Singh showcased promising talent on the AM Green IGPL Tour with a score of 5-under 68, placing him third alone.

Multiple AM Green IGPL champion Aman Raj, who won several events in 2025, tied for fourth with Harendra Gupta, both finishing with 4-under 69.

Close behind them were last week’s champion Udayan Mane, the rising Indo-American Manav Shah, and Syed Saqib Ahmed, each scoring 3-under 70 and tying for sixth.

A cluster of seven players, including Saarthak Chhibber, Sunhit Bishnoi, and rookie pros Danish Verma and Kanav Chauhan, all tied for ninth place with scores of 2-under 71.

Pannu, known for his long drives, seemed to draw inspiration from his Mumbai teammate Udayan Mane this week. He began on the tenth hole but encountered an early bogey on the 11th, his second hole. He quickly regained his rhythm, parring the next three holes before going on a birdie spree from the 15th to the 18th. After a series of pars on the front nine, he added another birdie and capped off his round with a stunning eagle for a score of 67.

Mannat Brar, who made history by reaching the semi-finals of the British Girls Amateur Championship in October 2024, turned pro earlier this year. Having played extensively for the National team, she has participated in three pro events on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, finishing in the Top-10 twice.

After modest outings in Mauritius and Joburg, Mannat found her groove in Congo. Starting from the first hole, she birdied the second, fourth, sixth, and seventh, turning in with an impressive 4-under. Two additional birdies on the 15th and 17th followed, closing her round with a par and a total of 6-under 67.

Mannat aims to become only the second Indian woman golfer to win a mixed-gender pro event; last year, Pranavi Urs achieved this milestone at AM Green IGPL Mumbai.

Sukhman Singh also impressed with two eagles in four holes, gaining shots on the Par-5 sixth and ninth. His solid start featured two eagles, three birdies, and two bogeys, placing him just one shot behind the leaders.

Harendra Gupta, who secured a Top-10 finish in the season opener, eagled the 18th alongside four birdies and two bogeys for a round of 69.

Aman Raj, a Top-5 finisher in Chandigarh and Mauritius, bounced back after a dip in Joburg, dropping an early bogey but recovering with five birdies, including three between the sixth and ninth.

In the team standings, Atri Mumbai continued their strong performance from last week, with Pannu (67) and Aman Raj (69) leading the charge at 10-under, two strokes ahead of Flying Man Kolkata, led by Sukhman Singh (68) and Syed Saqib Ahmed (70).

Green Fuels Vizag, with contributions from Manav Shah (70) and rookie Danish Verma (71), secured third place at 5-under.