St. Louis (Mauritius, April 6 (NationPress) Karandeep Kochhar, who recently showcased his exceptional skills in Japan, is thrilled to head to Mauritius for the IGPL Invitational 2026 – Mauritius, hosted by Leander Paes. This marks the beginning of the three-leg Africa segment of the Indian Premier League (IGPL) 2026.

The 27-year-old Kochhar is arriving directly from Japan, where he achieved a Tied-fifth finish, marking his second Top-5 placement in just three outings on the Asian Tour this year.

He is eager to increase his count of IGPL victories following his triumph at the IGPL Invitational Dubai.

As he prepares for the IGPL Invitational 2026 in Mauritius, Kochhar expressed, “I am thrilled to return to Mauritius. I played there a few years back (2019) in the Mauritius Open at the Anahita Course, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the European Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. To be back for the IGPL at the same golf course is incredible.”

The IGPL Invitational 2026 – Mauritius will feature India’s elite players, including Kochhar, Gaganjeet Bhullar (an 11-time Asian Tour champion), Pukhraj Gill (the top IGPL Order of Merit player in 2025), and Aman Raj (a multiple IGPL winner), among others.

Kochhar remarked, “I’ve mentioned before that establishing a Tour like the IGPL, which started less than a year ago—specifically six months—and forming alliances such as the one with the International Series to bring events to Mauritius demonstrates strong leadership. It’s fantastic, and I commend the leadership, the International Series, Liv Golf, and everyone involved.”

Reflecting on his experience in Mauritius, he added, “I played this golf course around six or seven years ago. I am looking forward to returning, especially as we are starting the team format now.”

“My week in Japan was remarkable; I performed well and gained insights into my strengths and areas for improvement. While the distance to Mauritius is significant, I’m excited about the change in weather conditions. Yes, I’m a bit fatigued, but I’m eagerly anticipating this challenge,” he said.

“My goal is to achieve a strong finish in the upcoming weeks, build some momentum, and head into the International Series Singapore Open with confidence to perform well again.” Tennis icon Paes has been instrumental in organizing the event in Mauritius.

With the team format debuting, Paes’ team Flyingman Ventures (Kolkata), consisting of Varun Parikh, Kartik Sharma, Syed Saqib Ahmed, and Sukhman Singh, will also compete in the tournament.

Kochhar’s team, Krishna Auto (Punjab), includes Kochhar along with Harendra Gupta, Kapil Kumar, and C Muniyappa. Kochhar previously claimed victory at the 2025 IGPL Invitational UAE in Dubai and was a runner-up at the IGPL Invitational Kolkata.

He believes that this exposure, along with the new collaboration with the LIV-backed International Series, can highlight the depth of Indian talent and provide younger players with a clearer vision of their future steps.

A strong advocate for Indian talent, Kochhar praised the partnership between the IGPL and the LIV-Golf-backed International Series, which offers top Indian players a clearer pathway to compete in world-class events. “It’s an excellent opportunity for our players back home to participate in International Series events and potentially engage in LIV Golf Promotions to see what unfolds.”

In short, as Kochhar stated, the IGPL offers a fresh route for Indians to access global competitions.

Arriving in Mauritius in peak form, Kochhar won the Egypt Golf Series - Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour in late 2025, finishing in the Top 5 on the 2025 ADT Order of Merit, securing a spot on the Asian Tour. He kicked off 2026 with a fourth-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a Tied-5 finish in Japan.

The Africa leg will comprise events in Mauritius, South Africa, and Congo, along with one event in each franchise city and two additional international events.

The 10 franchises, each with four players on their roster, include Phoenix (Hyderabad), Atri (Mumbai), Flyingman Ventures (Kolkata), RVR Infra (Delhi), Vimtra Ventures (Chennai), Green Fuels (Vizag), Auro Realty (Goa), GolfKonnekt (Bengaluru), Krishna Auto (Punjab), and Honer Homes Consortium (Gurugram).

The team format will count the two best scores for each round, and points will accumulate throughout the season to determine the top teams.

Individual winners will not only receive prize money but will also vie for positions on the IGPL Order of Merit, which can earn them spots in $2 million International Series events across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The season-long International Series Rankings, in turn, provide a direct path to the LIV Golf League.