Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas has made a strong impression in the International Series – Morocco on the Asian Tour by shooting an opening round of four under par 69 in the $2 million event. The 24-year-old is currently playing on an invitation and will be heading back to Dubai after this tournament to finalize his requirements for his US VISA. Rayhan recently completed his golf scholarship from Oklahoma University and has earned a conditional status card in the PGA Tour of Americas Qualifying School, turning professional on June 1st.
In his opening round, Rayhan only had one bogey on hole 14, with birdies on holes 12 and 15, and a spectacular eagle two on the par four 17th hole. Despite starting on hole 10, he managed to maintain consistency and parred his way home. Expressing satisfaction with his performance, Rayhan mentioned that he is seeing progress in his game over the last couple of months and is pleased with his overall performance in the tournament so far. He aims to continue playing aggressively in the following rounds.
Having hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation with 29 putts in the first round, Rayhan Thomas is currently tied for 11th place in the International Series event. The current leaders of the tournament are John Catlin (US) and Kazuma Kobori (NZ) who both shot seven under-par 66s. Rayhan remains optimistic about his chances in the tournament and is determined to maintain his current level of play throughout the competition.
Rayhan Thomas expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play in tournaments with larger purses and compete against renowned professional golfers. Having recently turned professional, he believes that his experience in college golf has prepared him well for professional competition. He is looking forward to testing his skills against top players and identifying areas where he can improve further. Rayhan also commended the quality of the golf course in the International Series event, emphasizing the need for accurate ball striking.
The defending champion of the tournament, Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand, shot a 73 in the first round, while Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) scored a 70. As the eighth event of the season on the Asian Tour and the third out of 10 stops on The International Series, this tournament holds significant importance for the players participating. With strong competition and challenging course conditions, Rayhan Thomas is determined to continue playing aggressively and aims to secure a promising position in the leaderboard as the tournament progresses. Fans can follow the tournament and check the latest scores on the Asian Tour website for further updates.
