New Delhi [India], April 19 (ANI): Udayan Mane was literally counting the days since his last professional win before lifting the IGPL Invitational South Africa.

According to a press release, as he prepared for the third leg of the African Swing with the AM Green IGPL Invitational Congo, Mane was full of confidence and looked forward to another good result following a T-3 in Mauritius and a win in Joburg.

The AM Green IGPL Invitational Congo follows events in Mauritius and Johannesburg, South Africa. The event will be played at the Par-73 Golf Club de Lubumbashi, a well-known eco-friendly golf facility in Congo, the release said.

Mane's win in Joburg came in style with a seven-shot win over the seasoned and much-acclaimed Gaganjeet Bhullar. Three good rounds of 65-64-67 for a 20-under total, the best on the AM Green IGPL season this year, gave him a big fillip both in terms of ending a title drought and boosting his confidence. He is now looking for a back-to-back win.

Mane said in the release, 'It's been 1,578 days since my last professional win, so this one carries real meaning for me personally. It is one of the best courses I have played and certainly one I will not forget. 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 with 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. I'm very pleased with a winning score of 20-under and a 7-shot victory. I went into the final day with a six-shot lead, but in golf, nothing is ever secure. My focus stayed on playing the golf course shot by shot and committing fully to every shot I hit,' he added.

He was all praise for his own team, as he added, 'I'm extremely grateful to my family for their constant belief, love and patience throughout this journey. That support has been the foundation behind moments like this.'

With a few AM Green IGPL players off to Singapore for the International Series event, some of Mane's top rivals like Bhullar, Sachin Baisoya, Karandeep Kochhar and Pukhraj Singh Gill will be skipping the Congo event.

Young guns, Veer and Raghav, are among the prominent contenders.

However, some of the leading contenders for this week will include Mane, his Atri Mumbai teammate, Aman Raj, a multiple winner in 2025, Kapil Kumar, also a winner in 2025, young guns Veer Ganapathy and Raghav Chugh, who are looking for their maiden win. Newcomers Kanav Chauhan and Danish Verma will also be looking at good finishes to give themselves a push in the early part of the season.

Two Indian Americans, Manav Shah and Varun Chopra, who have been noticed, are also targeting good results. In three starts, Manav Shah, a former winner on the PGA Tour of Latin America, has had two Top-3 finishes in Chandigarh and Joburg and was T-11 in Mauritius.

Milind Soni, who was sixth in Mauritius and T-11 in Joburg, will look at continuing the form, while Harshjeet Sethie, who, like Soni, is coached by Rahul Bajaj, showed some good form in Joburg.

The top women pros in action this week are Ridhima Dilawari, Vidhatri Urs, Khushi Khanijau, Seher Atwal, Mannat Brar, Shagun Narain, Jahaanvie Walia and Anisha Agarwalla. In addition, there will be Neha Tripathi.

The team event has been a big hit. The team component has been a big hit, and Mane loves it. In Joburg, Mane had very clearly built a nice lead and could have simply protected it and ensured the title, but he pressed for more birdies, and this, he said, was because of the team format. The team format integrated into the individual stroke play format has also been a big hit.

Mane said, 'The team format adds an important dimension. With fully formed teams and a league structure, there is added incentive to keep pushing scoring, not just for individual results but for the team championship as well. Even after 9 holes on the final day, still six shots ahead, the mindset was never to protect the lead but to continue creating birdie opportunities and contribute to the team's chances. It makes every shot count differently.'

The total field of 56 also includes ten invitees, including eight locals and six local amateurs. (ANI)