Congo, April 19 (IANS) Udayan Mane had been eagerly counting down the days since his last professional victory before finally winning the IGPL Invitational South Africa. As he prepared for the third part of the African Swing at the IGPL Invitational Congo, Mane was brimming with confidence and anticipated another great result after finishing T-3 in Mauritius and winning in Joburg.

The IGPL Invitational Congo continues the series of events in Mauritius and Johannesburg, South Africa. It will take place at the Par-73 Golf Club de Lubumbashi, a renowned eco-friendly golf course in Congo.

Mane’s victory in Joburg was impressive, finishing seven shots ahead of the experienced and highly regarded Gaganjeet Bhullar. His strong rounds of 65, 64, and 67, totaling 20 under par, the best score in this year’s IGPL season, not only ended his title drought but also boosted his confidence. He is now aiming for consecutive wins.

Mane said, “It’s been 1,578 days since my last professional win, so this one carry real meaning for me personally. It is one of the best courses I have played and certainly one I will not forget. We had one of the strongest fields in South Africa, and a golf course that truly tested every part of the game. Conditions were demanding throughout with rain, wind and cold, and we also played two different courses over three days. That required quick adaptation, and at this level, if you don’t adjust quickly, performance drops.”

“To win overseas is always special. It confirms the ability to perform in any conditions and on different types of golf courses. I’m very pleased with a winning score of 20-under and a 7 shot victory. I went into the final day with a six-shot lead, but in golf nothing is ever secure. My focus stayed on playing the golf course shot by shot and committing fully to every shot I hit,” he added.

He was all praise for his own team, as he said, “I’m extremely grateful to my family for their constant belief, love and patience throughout this journey. That support has been the foundation behind moments like this.”

Since a few IGPL players are heading to Singapore for the International Series, some of Mane’s main competitors, such as Bhullar, Sachin Baisoya, Karandeep Kochhar, and Pukhraj Singh Gill, will be absent from the Congo event.

This week’s top contenders likely include Mane, his Atri Mumbai teammate Aman Raj, who has multiple wins in 2025, Kapil Kumar, also a 2025 winner, and young players Veer Ganapathy and Raghav Chugh, aiming for their first victory. Additionally, newcomers Kanav Chauhan and Danish Verma are seeking strong finishes to kick off their seasons.

Two Indian Americans, Manav Shah and Varun Chopra, who have gained attention, are also striving for strong results. In three starts, Manav Shah, a former PGA Tour of Latin America winner, achieved two Top-3 finishes in Chandigarh and Johannesburg and secured T-11 in Mauritius.

Milind Soni, who placed sixth in Mauritius and T-11 in Johannesburg, aims to maintain his form. Meanwhile, Harshjeet Sethie, also coached by Rahul Bajaj like Soni, demonstrated promising performance in Johannesburg.

This week’s top women professionals include Ridhima Dilawari, Vidhatri Urs, Khushi Khanijau, Seher Atwal, Mannat Brar, Shagun Narain, Jahaanvie Walia, and Anisha Agarwalla. Neha Tripathi will also be competing.

The team component has been very popular, and Mane is a big fan. In Joburg, Mane clearly established a strong lead and could have just protected it to secure the title, but he chose to go for more birdies, which he attributed to the team format.

The integration of the team format into individual stroke play has also been very well received. Mane mentioned, “The team format adds an important dimension. With fully formed teams and a league setup, there’s extra motivation to keep scoring, not just for individual success but also for the team championship. Even after nine holes on the final day, leading by six shots, the goal was never just to defend the lead but to find more birdie chances and help the team’s prospects. It makes every shot matter in a new way.”

The entire field of 56 players includes ten invitees, eight of whom are locals, and six local amateurs.

–IANS

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