Mumbai, Nov 19 (NationPress) Karandeep Kochhar outperformed Pranavi Urs in their inaugural round together at a professional event, alongside Aman Raj, during the second round of the IGPL Invitational held in Mumbai this Wednesday. Kochhar (62-66), who shared the first-round lead with Pranavi, surged ahead with a 2-under 66, establishing himself as the sole leader at 8-under.

Pranavi (62-68) recorded an even-par 68 but slipped to third place at 6-under 130, while Pukhraj Singh Gill (66-63), who entered the week without a prior practice round, achieved a bogey-free 5-under 63, elevating him to second place at 7-under 129.

Olympian Udayan Mane with a score of 6-under 62, Manav Shah with 4-under 64, and Sachin Baisoya, also with a 4-under 64, ended up tied for sixth with 5-under totals. The IGPL Order of Merit leader, Aman Raj, salvaged an even-par round of 68 with a birdie on the final hole, landing him in seventh at 4-under.

“This is only my second IGPL event, and winning here would be incredibly special. Coming off a victory at the ADT in Egypt, I feel quite confident. About five years ago, I won back-to-back on the Indian Tour. Winning again now would be fantastic,” stated Kochhar.

“I am genuinely in a good place within the IGPL and grateful to be associated with this group, including those I admire and who are close to me, like Manav Jaini. Winning on my second event would be remarkable, especially since I was in contention during my first event at Jaypee Greens, where I fell short,” added Karandeep.

“I narrowly bested Pranavi today by two shots, and we’re in the same lead group for tomorrow. Today was quite an experience. It was a back-and-forth for both of us, and I eagerly anticipate playing together again. I hope for a win, but I would also be thrilled for her if she triumphs,” he remarked.

Pranavi responded, “He (Karandeep) had the edge today, but there’s always tomorrow. We’ll see how it unfolds.”

Pukhraj, who shot 2-under 66 on the first day without a practice round, expressed satisfaction with his score.

“My tee shots were strong today. I hit most fairways, likely around 17 regulations. My approach shots could have been better, but I made several mid-range putts for birdies from 15 to 22 feet,” he explained.

“That’s how I achieved a bogey-free round. I only missed one green by a yard. My tee game was exceptional, and I could have scored even lower, but my approaches weren’t as precise. Nevertheless, it was a solid day,” he added.

“The momentum is on my side, especially after Beldih. I feel lighter on the course now. The pressure of securing my first pro win is off—it's like a weight has been lifted,” he concluded.

Shaurya Binu and Kartik Singh, both with even-par 68s, and Tusshar Pannu with a 3-under 65 rounded out the Top-10 with totals of 3-under 133. SSP Chawrasia, a prominent figure in the IGPL, recorded a second consecutive 67, placing him at 2-under, just outside the Top-10 in 11th position.