DUBAI: Rising star Rayhan Thomas served notice of his burgeoning talent by cracking the top 500 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking following his impressive run of success on the MENA Golf Tour this season.
The 16-year-old Dubai-based prodigy, who topped his division in all the three events he played this season, has climbed to 464th position in the world after last week’s MahaSamutr Masters, sponsored by PACE Development Corporation, at Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.
In the Official World Golf Ranking, led by Jason Day of Australia, Thomas has risen to 1,050th place from 1,244, thanks to his tied 14th, second and third-place finishes overall, a creditable performance which overshadowed some of the senior professionals in the field.
The world ranking status, which came into effect at the tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic in May this season, has ratcheted up the already intensive competition on the tour that came into being in 2011.
Thomas, who is supported by the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, had his chances to become the first amateur to win a MENA Golf Tour event, but fell just three shots shy of the title at the Mountain Creek despite closing with a six-under 66 that matched his career-best score set at last year’s Dubai Creek Open where he narrowly lost in a playoff.
“My biggest takeaway from these three tournaments is an increased confidence in my ability to play golf at any level. I am improving with every tournament and that makes me feel proud,” said Thomas, who has also consolidated his lead in the tour’s Order of Merit for amateurs.
“Playing alongside some of the top professionals on the (MENA) tour was a great experience. I know I can play well at this level,” said Thomas, who hails from the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Meanwhile, Antonio Costa has broken into the top three on the MENA Golf Tour’s Order of Merit after his convincing wire-to-wire win in last week’s MahaSamutr Masters.
The 27-year-old Chilean, who took a record six-shot lead into the final round, closed with a 68 to seal a three-shot victory, his first on the tour moving him to 1,050th position on the Official World Golf Ranking from 1,780.
With $14,187 in earnings from the first six events, highlighted by two top-10s and a first, Costa sits just behind the English duo of Zane Scotland ($25,734) and Andrew Marshall ($16,172) after the tour’s maiden voyage to Thailand.
Featuring two tournaments, the Thailand leg saw Costa complete a unique Latin American double after Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela came up trumps at the Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen.
The 35-year-old Venezuelan closed with a tidy 69 to clinch his first win in Asian on five-under 211 as overnight leader Sixto Casabona-navarro of Spain faded out of contention after making the turn at five over, eventually settling for tied seventh.
The MENA Golf Tour will travel to South Africa for the first time next month for a three-event series, starting with the South to East Challenge to be held at Centurion, Pretoria, from June 7.
The Order of Merit standings after the MahaSamutr Masters, the sixth event on the MENA Golf Tour this season.
Professionals:
1. Zane Scotland (England) — $25,734
2. Andrew Marshall (England) — $16,172
3. Antonio Costa (Chile) — $14,187
4. Wolmer Murillo (Venezuela) — $11,400
5. David Law (Scotland) — $9,000
6. Craig Hinton (England) — $8,403
7. Miles Tunnicliff (England) — $8,280
8. Fredrik Lindblom (Sweden) — $7,374
9. Victor Bertran (Spain) — $6,920
10. Luke Joy (England) — $6,912
Amateurs:
1. Rayhan Thomas (India) – 133 points
2. Benjamin David (England) — 55
3. Ben Alexander (Scotland) — 53
4. Yassine Touhami (Morocco) — 52
5. Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng (Thailand) – 43
The 16-year-old Dubai-based prodigy, who topped his division in all the three events he played this season, has climbed to 464th position in the world after last week’s MahaSamutr Masters, sponsored by PACE Development Corporation, at Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.
In the Official World Golf Ranking, led by Jason Day of Australia, Thomas has risen to 1,050th place from 1,244, thanks to his tied 14th, second and third-place finishes overall, a creditable performance which overshadowed some of the senior professionals in the field.
The world ranking status, which came into effect at the tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic in May this season, has ratcheted up the already intensive competition on the tour that came into being in 2011.
Thomas, who is supported by the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, had his chances to become the first amateur to win a MENA Golf Tour event, but fell just three shots shy of the title at the Mountain Creek despite closing with a six-under 66 that matched his career-best score set at last year’s Dubai Creek Open where he narrowly lost in a playoff.
“My biggest takeaway from these three tournaments is an increased confidence in my ability to play golf at any level. I am improving with every tournament and that makes me feel proud,” said Thomas, who has also consolidated his lead in the tour’s Order of Merit for amateurs.
“Playing alongside some of the top professionals on the (MENA) tour was a great experience. I know I can play well at this level,” said Thomas, who hails from the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Meanwhile, Antonio Costa has broken into the top three on the MENA Golf Tour’s Order of Merit after his convincing wire-to-wire win in last week’s MahaSamutr Masters.
The 27-year-old Chilean, who took a record six-shot lead into the final round, closed with a 68 to seal a three-shot victory, his first on the tour moving him to 1,050th position on the Official World Golf Ranking from 1,780.
With $14,187 in earnings from the first six events, highlighted by two top-10s and a first, Costa sits just behind the English duo of Zane Scotland ($25,734) and Andrew Marshall ($16,172) after the tour’s maiden voyage to Thailand.
Featuring two tournaments, the Thailand leg saw Costa complete a unique Latin American double after Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela came up trumps at the Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen.
The 35-year-old Venezuelan closed with a tidy 69 to clinch his first win in Asian on five-under 211 as overnight leader Sixto Casabona-navarro of Spain faded out of contention after making the turn at five over, eventually settling for tied seventh.
The MENA Golf Tour will travel to South Africa for the first time next month for a three-event series, starting with the South to East Challenge to be held at Centurion, Pretoria, from June 7.
The Order of Merit standings after the MahaSamutr Masters, the sixth event on the MENA Golf Tour this season.
Professionals:
1. Zane Scotland (England) — $25,734
2. Andrew Marshall (England) — $16,172
3. Antonio Costa (Chile) — $14,187
4. Wolmer Murillo (Venezuela) — $11,400
5. David Law (Scotland) — $9,000
6. Craig Hinton (England) — $8,403
7. Miles Tunnicliff (England) — $8,280
8. Fredrik Lindblom (Sweden) — $7,374
9. Victor Bertran (Spain) — $6,920
10. Luke Joy (England) — $6,912
Amateurs:
1. Rayhan Thomas (India) – 133 points
2. Benjamin David (England) — 55
3. Ben Alexander (Scotland) — 53
4. Yassine Touhami (Morocco) — 52
5. Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng (Thailand) – 43
