Gaganjeet Bhullar Leads Indian Challenge with Solid Start at International Series Morocco 2026
India’s most successful golfer on the Asian Tour, Gaganjeet Bhullar, overcame a dramatic second-nine wobble to post a three-under-par 70 and emerge as the best-placed Indian after the opening round of the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco in Rabat.
Playing on the demanding par-73 Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Bhullar mixed moments of brilliance with costly mistakes before finishing tied for 18th, keeping himself firmly in contention heading into the second round. The 11-time Asian Tour winner leads a contingent of 10 Indian golfers competing this week, with Karandeep Kochhar, Shaurya Bhattacharya, SSP Chawrasia and Ajeetesh Sandhu also making encouraging starts.
Bhullar looked set for one of the lowest rounds of the day after producing a stunning stretch on his opening nine. After beginning with four consecutive pars, the veteran found his rhythm with a birdie before reeling off three more birdies in succession. The burst of scoring saw him reach the turn in four-under 32, placing him among the early contenders on the leaderboard.
His precise iron play and confident putting highlighted why he remains one of India’s most accomplished professionals, especially on the Asian circuit where he has amassed 11 career victories.
The momentum continued briefly on the back nine when he birdied the 12th hole to move to five-under for the round.
Just as Bhullar appeared poised for an exceptional opening round, the momentum shifted dramatically. Bogeys on the 13th, 15th and 17th holes halted his charge and pushed him back down the leaderboard. While he recovered with a birdie on the closing hole to sign for a three-under 70, the experienced Indian was left reflecting on what might have been after such a promising start.
Despite the late setbacks, his position inside the top 20 keeps him well placed for the remainder of the tournament and makes him the highest-ranked Indian after the opening day.
Karandeep Kochhar endured an even more eventful round. The Indian bogeyed each of his opening three holes, immediately putting himself on the back foot. However, he responded impressively by stringing together four consecutive birdies, completely transforming his scorecard before the turn.
After making the outward nine in one-under, Kochhar traded a bogey on the 10th with a birdie on the 17th to finish with a one-under 72, joining Shaurya Bhattacharya, SSP Chawrasia and Ajeetesh Sandhu in a tie for 40th place.
Their steady performances leave all four players in a strong position to challenge for the weekend rounds.
LIV Golf star Anirban Lahiri opened with an even-par 73 to sit tied for 60th after the first round. While the score keeps him within reach of the projected cut line, he will likely need an improved second-round performance to climb into contention. The remaining Indians face a much tougher task.
Rashid Khan carded a two-over 75, while Shubham Jaglan posted a three-over 76. Fresh off his maiden professional victory on the AM Green IGPL Tour in Congo, Aryan Roopa Anand struggled to find momentum and signed for a seven-over 80, leaving him near the bottom of the leaderboard.
Udayan Mane endured an especially difficult day, finishing with a 10-over 83. Both he and Aryan will require exceptional second rounds to have any chance of making the cut.
At the top of the leaderboard, Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert produced an outstanding eight-under 65 to take the first-round lead. Pavit’s round featured a superb finish, including four consecutive birdies over his final four holes after he had already established himself near the summit. Australia’s Travis Smyth, winner of the International Series Japan earlier this season, shared second place on six-under 67 alongside South Korea’s Younghan Song.
American Andy Ogletree, a three-time International Series champion, was among a group on five-under 68 after closing with an eagle-birdie flourish. Among the LIV Golf stars in the field, Bubba Watson impressed with a four-under 69, while defending champion Scott Vincent opened with a three-under 70. Masters champion Sergio Garcia, however, endured a difficult day and settled for a one-over 74.
For Bhullar, the opening round was a reminder of both his scoring ability and the fine margins at elite level. The veteran has enjoyed tremendous success throughout his career but is still searching for his first International Series title. His most recent Asian Tour victory came in Indonesia in 2023, and he will hope to use this encouraging start as the foundation for another title challenge.
With 54 holes still to play and the leaderboard tightly packed, a strong second round could propel him into genuine contention.
As the tournament heads into Friday’s action, Bhullar leads India’s challenge in Rabat, while several compatriots remain well positioned to push up the standings and fight for a place in the weekend rounds.
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