IGPL Krishna Invitational: Samarth, Bhullar lead as young guns surge

Hyderabad: Samarth Dwivedi and seasoned campaigner Gaganjeet Bhullar found themselves side by side at the top of a tightly packed leaderboard after the second round of the AM Green IGPL Krishna Invitational 2026 Hyderabad, presented by Punjab Raptors GC.

However, it was the young guns just behind them who gave the tournament an extra edge on the second day.

Samarth Dwivedi followed his opening 66 with a five-under 65 to reach nine-under 131, while Bhullar, a four-time AM Green IGPL winner, shot a solid 66 after his opening 65. The duo now have a one-shot cushion over Veer Ganapathy and Manav Shah, who both produced the day’s joint-best 61s to surge into contention at eight-under 132.

Of the top four, only Bhullar has won before, while the other three are looking for maiden AM Green IGPL wins.

For Samarth Dwivedi, the second round was another display of controlled golf. He birdied the second and third holes, then dropped a shot on the 11th but picked it back up on the 14th and eagled the 17th.

Gaganjeet Bhullar, meanwhile, brings something the rest of the field cannot easily manufacture — experience. The veteran has been around the Indian professional circuit for 20 years; he turned 20 in 2006 — and knows what it takes to stay patient when a tournament begins to take shape. His back-to-back rounds of 65 and 66 have put him in another position from which he can challenge for a title.

But the biggest movement of the day came from Veer Ganapathy, who has come close many times but not sealed the deal, and Shah, who this year stunned everyone by going through qualifying and making the field for the US Open.
C. Muniyappa occupies fifth place at seven-under 133 after a 68, keeping the experienced Bengaluru professional firmly in the hunt.

Behind him is where the leaderboard begins to resemble a traffic jam. 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 so many players within striking distance, even one exceptional round on Friday could dramatically alter the tournament.

Tushar Pannu and Joshua Grenville Wood are next at four-under 136, while Yashas Chandra is alone at three-under 137.

There was also plenty of interest further down the field, with a group of eight players tied at two-under 138. They include Shaurya Binu, Sawai Hamendra Singh Bhati, Udayan Mane, Chiragh Kumar, Sunhit Bishnoi, Sukhman Singh, Jasmine Shekar and Harshjeet Sethie.

Among the more familiar names, Shiv Kapur is at one-under 139 after a second-round 70, while Ridhima Dilawari is alongside him after a 69. Vani Kapoor is also at even-par 140 following a 73.