Udayan Mane Chases Back-to-Back Glory at AM Green IGPL Invitational Congo After Ending 1,578-Day Title Drought
There is a particular kind of freedom that comes with ending a long wait. For Udayan Mane, 1,578 days passed between professional victories days of near-misses, quiet perseverance, and the kind of sustained self-belief that is far easier to preach than to practise.
When he finally lifted the AM Green IGPL Invitational South Africa title in Johannesburg with a dominant seven-shot victory, something shifted. Now, as the third leg of the African Swing gets underway at the Par-73 Golf Club de Lubumbashi in Congo, Mane arrives not as a player chasing form, but as a champion chasing history. A back-to-back win on the AM Green Indian Golf Premier League circuit would be a statement of the highest order. Mane's form across the African Swing has been exceptional a tied-third finish in Mauritius, followed by that commanding victory in Johannesburg where rounds of 65, 64 and 67 produced a 20-under total, the best score posted on the IGPL season so far. He went into the final round in South Africa with a six-shot lead and, crucially, refused to sit back and protect it.
"Even after nine holes on the final day, still six shots ahead, the mindset was never to protect the lead but to continue creating birdie opportunities," Mane explained, crediting the IGPL's integrated team format for keeping his competitive instincts sharp even when the individual title was all but secured. That mentality aggressive, forward-thinking, never settling is the hallmark of a player who has rediscovered both his game and his hunger at exactly the right moment.
His reflection on the Johannesburg win was candid and deeply personal. "It's been 1,578 days since my last professional win, so this one carries real meaning for me personally," he said. "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 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."
The Golf Club de Lubumbashi, a well-known eco-friendly facility in the Democratic Republic of Congo, provides an intriguing backdrop for the third leg. While several of the IGPL's most prominent names Gaganjeet Bhullar, Sachin Baisoya, Karandeep Kochhar and Pukhraj Singh Gill are absent this week, having made their way to Singapore for the International Series event, the Congo field remains competitive and hungry.
Mane's Atri Mumbai teammate Aman Raj, a multiple winner on the IGPL in 2025, represents one of the most significant challenges. Kapil Kumar, also a winner last season, will be eager to kick-start his 2026 account. But perhaps the most compelling subplot of the week involves the young guns. Veer Ganapathy and Raghav Chugh, both talented and ambitious, are searching for their first professional victories on the tour, and the reduced presence of senior rivals creates an opportunity they will be fully aware of. Newcomers Kanav Chauhan and Danish Verma are similarly looking to make early-season statements that announce their arrival as names to watch.
Two Indian-American players have also caught the eye this season. Manav Shah, a former winner on the PGA Tour of Latinoamérica, has been remarkably consistent back-to-back top-three finishes in Chandigarh and Johannesburg, alongside a tied-11th in Mauritius. Varun Chopra is another who has drawn attention, and both players will be targeting podium finishes in Lubumbashi to further solidify their season standings. Among the women's contingent, Ridhima Dilawari, Vidhatri Urs, Khushi Khanijau, Seher Atwal, Mannat Brar, Shagun Narain, Jahaanvie Walia, Anisha Agarwalla and Neha Tripathi are all expected to feature prominently, continuing a season that has seen the IGPL's women's field grow in both depth and competitive quality.
The team format, which Mane credits as a key driver of his aggressive play in Johannesburg, remains a central feature of the Congo event. With 56 players in the field including ten invitees and six local amateurs, the Lubumbashi course will be busy and for Udayan Mane, every shot will count towards something bigger than just a trophy. It will count towards confirmation that his return to winning ways is no fluke.
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