Aryan Roopa Anand, who won his breakthrough pro title on the AM Green IGPL Tour in Congo last month, was among the early starters who had a solid beginning in the first round of the $ 500,000 AM Green IGPL Bharath Classic.
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The Mysuru lad, a former two-time all-India amateur champion, shot 4-under 68 and was three behind the clubhouse leader Runchanapong Youprayong of Thailand (65).
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Aryan, who had three sub-par rounds while winning in Congo, played alongside Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand and Jose Toledo, the seasoned Guatemalan.
Opening with a bogey, he found his rhythm and birdied three times in a row from the third to the fifth before dropping a second shot. A birdie on the ninth saw him turn in 2-under. He added two more gains on the 14th and the 18th, both Par-5s as he carded 68 and placed T-7, though about half the field was yet to finish at the long Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, Morocco, which at 7,448 yards presents a big challenge.
Karandeep Kochhar, who started in the afternoon wave had played just nine holes, but picked five birdies in them. That included a four-in-a-row streak from the second to the fifth and added one more on the seventh. Kochhar winner in AM Green IGPL Dubai last year was T-4 alongside three others.
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Yet another promising Indian Shaurya Bhattacharya, who plays on the Asian Tour, started in the second group of the day from the tenth. Opening with four pars, he birdied three times in the next five holes as he turned in 3-under. A fourth birdie on the third saw him rise into Top-5 at 4-under. However, he was pulled down by late bogeys on the sixth and the eighth and finished 2-under 70. He was lying T-16.
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Behind Runchanapong Youprayong’s 65 was the Australian Will Florimo (66). In tied third were another Australian Jed Morgan, the in-form South African Ian Snyman and New Zealander Nick Voke with rounds off 67 each. Kochhar was also 5-under but with nine holes still to play.
Among some of the other big names Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Bangladeshi veteran Siddikur Rehman and South African Justin Harding among others had finished their opening round with scores of 2-under 70 each.
Tanapat Pichaikool, last week’s winner of the AM Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars 2026 at the same course, but on the Asian Development Tour, carded an even par 72.
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