Youprayong Tops Round One, Kochhar One Shot Behind at IGPL Bharath Classic

Kochhar’s short‑game work produced a comeback round that leaves him close to the lead while several Indian players sit well placed on a tight early leaderboard.

Overview

Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong opened with a 7‑under 65 to lead after Friday’s first round, and Karandeep Kochhar is tied for second at 6‑under 66, one shot off the lead.
Kochhar credited dedicated putting and short‑game practice at the Mazagan course for his rebound from a missed cut last week and for stringing together multiple birdies during his 66.
Kochhar shares second place on the leaderboard with Will Florimo and Nicklas Regner, while Aryan Roopa Anand is among the top performers after a 4‑under 68.
Players said strong winds and a testing mid‑stretch of holes 12–15 made scoring difficult and shaped strategy across the field at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort.
The IGPL Bharath Classic carries a $500,000 purse and Day‑1 positions are informative but not decisive, with Kochhar’s form and last year’s IGPL Dubai win framing him as a contender to watch in the coming rounds.