Samarth Dwivedi and veteran Gaganjeet Bhullar are locked together at the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the IGPL Krishna Invitational 2026 at the Hyderabad Golf Association course on 8 October 2026. The co-leaders stand at nine-under 131 and nine-under 131 respectively, holding a one-shot advantage over a charging pair of young contenders who produced the day's most electrifying golf.

Leaderboard After Round 2

Dwivedi backed up his opening 66 with a five-under 65 to reach nine-under 131. His round featured birdies on the second and third, a dropped shot on the 11th, a recovery birdie on the 14th, and a crucial eagle on the 17th — a composed, mistake-minimising effort that kept him clear of the chasing pack.

Bhullar, a four-time IGPL winner, carded a 66 after his opening 65, demonstrating the patience that has defined his 20-year career on the Indian professional circuit. Of the four players in the leading group, only Bhullar has previously won on the IGPL; the other three are chasing maiden titles.

Ganapathy and Shah Fire Stunning 61s

Veer Ganapathy and Manav Shah delivered the standout performances of the day, both carding nine-under 61s to surge to eight-under 132, just one shot off the lead. Ganapathy, who had begun the day at one-under, posted an extraordinary round featuring 11 birdies against two bogeys, including a remarkable sequence of six consecutive birdies from the 10th hole.

'Yesterday I shot one over. It was a slow day, but I held it together. Today, I started with two birdies in the first two holes and let it flow from there. I hit some good shots, made a few putts, and it was a good day overall,' Ganapathy said. He attributed the turnaround to advice from his father: 'Yesterday I was a bit defensive, but today I just focused on hitting fairways and greens and shooting a low one. My father told me to forget about yesterday and go out there and enjoy myself, and that's exactly what I did.'

Shah, who made headlines earlier this year by qualifying for the US Open, matched Ganapathy's 61 with a flawless card of nine birdies and no bogeys — four on the front nine and five on the back. 'It's good to see all the hard work I've been putting in starting to pay off. I'm seeing my shot patterns, rhythm, and flow come back, and hopefully that trend continues upwards,' Shah said. 'Today, I felt more relaxed and grateful to be playing at a course with so much history. I just focused on playing high-quality golf, trusting my shot patterns and not worrying about the leaderboard.'

The Chasing Pack: A Crowded Traffic Jam

C. Muniyappa of Bengaluru is fifth at seven-under 133 after a 68, keeping himself very much in contention. Behind him, no fewer than seven players are tied at five-under 135: M Dharma, Trishul Chinnappa, Saarthak Chhibber, Karandeep Kochhar, Sachin Baisoya, Pukhraj Singh Gill, and Ravi Kumar. With the entire chasing group within four shots of the lead heading into the weekend, a single exceptional round on Friday could dramatically reshape the standings.

Tushar Pannu and Joshua Grenville Wood are at four-under 136, while Yashas Chandra sits alone at three-under 137. A group of eight players are tied at two-under 138, including Udayan Mane, Chiragh Kumar, Sunhit Bishnoi, and Shaurya Binu. Among more established names, Shiv Kapur is at one-under 139 after a second-round 70, alongside Ridhima Dilawari who carded a 69. Vani Kapoor is at even-par 140 following a 73.

What to Expect in the Final 36 Holes

The IGPL Krishna Invitational 2026 enters the weekend in a state of genuine suspense. Dwivedi and Bhullar carry the advantage of the top spot, but Ganapathy and Shah have already demonstrated that the Hyderabad Golf Association course is scoreable when ball-striking and putting align. With Muniyappa, the seven-player logjam at five-under, and a raft of experienced names within striking distance, neither co-leader can afford a conservative approach. The final 36 holes promise significant leaderboard movement.