Hyderabad, Nov 10 (IANS) Sachin Baisoya will have an immediate opportunity to get back at Gaganjeet Bhullar when the Phoenix Invitational 2026 gets under way at Vooty Golf County on Wednesday.

There is unfinished business between the two. Just last week, Baisoya took the early runaway leader Bhullar all the way to the play-off at the Green Fuels Maritime Invitational in Vizag.

If Bhullar’s week, a very consistent one, was built around his shortened second round of 6-under, Baisoya’s challenge on the final day, which was again shortened because of rain, came on the strength of a remarkable seven-under round.

That erased the six-shot advantage Bhullar and sent the clash into a play-off.

Bhullar eventually prevailed with a 40-foot putt on the extra hole, but Baisoya had made it clear that the gap between the two was not as wide as the final result suggested.

The ‘Rematch at Vooty’ gives Baisoya another chance to test himself against the most successful player on the Indian Golf Premier League circuit. The 11-time Asian Tour winner, Bhullar has now won six IGPL titles, including three this season, and his ability to find a way to win even when his game is not at its best remains a significant advantage.

For Baisoya and his Phoenix Hyderabad teammates, Ranjit Singh, Raghav Chugh and Arjun Bhati, it is a chance to showcase their team in the main event and the X-golf, a innovative new competition, events.

At a meeting with the media, Uttam Singh Mundy CEO of IGPL said, “It has been an exciting 2026 for AM Green IGPL, with 10 events completed, including six international stops, as we come together for our 11th event. Our league-integrated tour is building camaraderie and bringing men and women professionals together to compete for equal prize money. Through our partnerships with golf bodies and Special Olympics, we are committed to growing the sport, while discussions on two centres of excellence in India aim to create a pathway for young golfers. We hope to finalise these plans by year-end, and we thank Hyderabad Firebirds G.C. and Dream Valley Group for hosting us at Vooty, where players have praised the course’s excellent condition.”

Baisoya, meanwhile, has shown that he can put together low scores under pressure. His charge in Vizag was built on aggressive golf and a series of birdies when he had little room for error. The challenge now is to sustain that level over the tournament rather than rely on a late charge.

Baisoya, the main pillar of Phoenix Hyderabad Firebirds, added, “We’re all ready to put our best foot forward and give our best. We were victorious at HGA in Hyderabad two weeks ago, so we’re coming in with some good form, although last week wasn’t great. I feel X-Golf is a great format. Having spent four years in the US, I’ve seen how big sports are and how engaged everyone is. Golf can be a little long and tough to follow, so I feel this change is necessary. India has so many people, and the scope is enormous. This is a great platform, and the players are extremely excited. I hope you’ll all come and watch us this week at Boulder Hills for X-Golf. Thank you.”

Baisoya and Bhullar will not be playing in the same group in the opening round. Bhullar starts at 10.42 am from the first tee alongside Varun Parikh and Kapil Kumar, while Baisoya tees off at 11.04 am with Aryan Roopa Anand and Sukhman Singh. Their paths may be separate on Wednesday, but the leaderboard could bring them together again as the week progresses.

Bhullar arrives with a formidable recent record. His victory at the Krishna Invitational in Hyderabad in October was followed by the Vizag triumph. He has positioned himself as the player to beat in the league, combining his Asian Tour experience with an understanding of how to manage the pressure of the shorter AM Green IGPL format.

The contest, however, is unlikely to be restricted to these two. The field has several players capable of making a strong run, and the Vooty layout will demand consistency as much as scoring ability.

Arjun Prasad, who made a winning impression on his IGPL debut, will be one to watch. He opens at 9.14 am alongside Ravi Kumar and Harshjeet Singh Sethie. Veteran Shiv Kapur, a multiple Asian Your winner, another player with considerable international experience, tees off at 11.15 am with Kanav Chauhan and Danish Verma.

There is considerable interest in the younger contingent. Aryan Roopa Anand, who has been making his presence felt and had a win in Africa, gets an early test alongside Baisoya. Sukhman Singh, who recently moved into the professional ranks, completes that group. Their performance will be worth following against an experienced player who has shown he can contend for titles.

For Bhullar, the objective is to maintain his winning run. For Baisoya, it is about showing that last week's performance was not a one-off. And for the rest of the field, the task is to prevent the two from making the tournament another chapter in their growing rivalry.

--IANS

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