Tushar Pannu Shares Lead At IGPL Congo After Opening Round
Tushar Pannu and Mannat Brar share lead at IGPL Congo after strong 6-under opening rounds.
Indian golfers Tushar Pannu and Mannat Brar emerged as joint leaders after the opening round of the IGPL Invitational Congo, part of the IGPL Tour 2026 being held at the Par-73 Golf Club de Lubumbashi. Both players produced matching scores of 6-under 67 to take the top position on a competitive first day of play. The tournament marks an important stop in the African swing of the tour, attracting emerging and established professionals.
Young golfer Tushar Pannu, who turned professional less than a year ago, delivered an impressive round featuring five birdies, one eagle, and a single bogey. The 21-year-old showed strong recovery after an early setback and maintained steady form through the rest of the round. His closing stretch, which included a crucial eagle, helped him climb into a share of the lead and underline his rapid progress on the professional circuit.
Sharing the lead was Mannat Brar, who produced a flawless bogey-free round to match Pannu’s score of 6-under 67. The 19-year-old, who recently transitioned into professional golf after a strong amateur career, made an aggressive start with multiple early birdies. She maintained control throughout the round and added further birdies on the back nine to finish strongly at the top of the leaderboard.
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Just behind the leaders, rookie golfer Sukhman Singh impressed with a 5-under 68 that included two eagles, highlighting his potential in the early stages of his professional journey. Several other players, including experienced names and emerging talents, remained closely grouped on the leaderboard, indicating a tightly contested field as the tournament progresses.
The IGPL Invitational Congo represents the fourth leg of the IGPL Tour 2026 and continues the tour’s African swing after earlier events in Mauritius and South Africa. The competition is being played at the eco-friendly Golf Club de Lubumbashi, which has previously hosted international-level golf events. In the team standings, Atri Mumbai leads the field at 10-under, driven by strong individual performances, while Flying Man Kolkata and Green Fuels Vizag follow closely behind.
