Having learnt and played most of his golf at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Rayhan Thomas knows the intricacies of the golf course better than most other players in the Dubai Creek Open field this week.
However, in-depth local knowledge is not the only reason why the 15-year-old rising UAE star is feeling confident about his chances in the MENA Golf Tour this season.
The reigning Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Order of Merit champion is hoping to make a breakthrough in his international amateur career, having experienced a steep learning curve during a six-week stint in the UK earlier this summer and having been given the freedom of pursuing his studies from the comfort of his home.
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And that’s not all. There’s also buoyancy in spirit that comes with having good form. Thomas is coming off a fourth-place finish last week in the Singha Thailand Amateur Open, one of the oldest amateur championships in Asia. At Bangkok’s Panya Indra Club, he shot a sparkling five-under par final round – he was six-under par for the last 10 holes – to finish the four-round tournament at four-under par total.
“It was a good finish in Thailand and I am feeling very confident ahead of the MENA Tour,” said Thomas. “I am feeling good about my game, especially after finishing five-under par in my last competitive round. Now all I have to do is prepare well and stick to my routine and I should be fine.
“I am not feeling any pressure right now. After all, I am playing the first event on my home course.”
Having won almost everything at Creek, where he is a member, Thomas sounded confident he would be able to exploit his knowledge of the golf course.
“It is going to be a big help because the Creek is a course where you can do well if you know the spots where you should miss,” he said.
“Also, I feel the greens here are a bit trickier than most of the golf courses that we have in the UAE. To be a member there and to be able to have a better understanding in reading them is a big advantage.”
Now that he does not have to worry about his school attendance, Thomas is hoping the extra time he gets to spend at the practice range will show, starting with the MENA Tour.
When asked what would be his realistic goal in the next couple of months, when he plays all remaining MENA Tour events barring the one in Saudi Arabia.
“Me and my coach, Justin Parsons, we have worked out some goals for the entire MENA Tour season,” said Thomas.
“One is to make the professional cut in all the events. I want to make it to the Tour Championship, and maybe, win one of the amateur titles during the season.
“Finishing in the overall top-five in a tournament would definitely be a highlight for me. The thing is, I know I can do it. I know most of the golf courses here, but more importantly, I am playing well.”
Thomas is ranked 2,826th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), but improving his standing is not an over-riding priority.
“My ranking is somewhere around 2,800 right now, but it is going to improve a lot after my finish in Thailand,” said Thomas.
“There are WAGR points on offer at the MENA Tour events, which is fantastic. But I am not really making that a goal. I just want to enjoy my golf and work hard at the moment. And by doing so, if my ranking improves, so be it.”
Thomas is also hoping to bank on his experience of playing in various amateur tournaments, including the British Boys, during the summer.
“It was great fun. I was on my own for the first time and I really enjoyed the six week out in the UK,” he said.
“It was a massive learning curve. It was a lesson for me on how to adapt to situations. I played a few bad rounds, and I felt it was a learning curve for me to go on from those rounds and try and play better the next week. I think the biggest experience I gained was to be patient and not try to force things.”
