Sep 05, 2018: India’s Dubai-based Rayhan Thomas sizzled at the Mark O’Meara course on the opening day of the World Amateur Team Championships with a stunning 9-under 64 at the par-73 course. The Indian led the star-studded field, which has 16 of the world’s Top-25 amateurs. Thomas himself is No. 24 this week and is seeking to make up for the disappointment of missing out on a medal at the Asian Games, where his putting let him down and finished T-13.
The World Amateurs, considered the biggest event for amateurs around the world, event is being played at two courses, the par-73 Mark O’Meara course and the Par-72 Montgomerie course.
Thomas’ colleague Kshitij Naveed Kaul shot even par 73 with four birdies and four bogeys, while Aadil Bedi had an unfortunate triple on Par-5 sixth, but for which he would have been under par. He carded 1-over 74. With two best cards counting from each team, the Indians were placed T-3rd at 9-under and were three behind team leaders, Denmark, whose John Axelson (64) was second behind Thomas, but the Dane, who is 8-under played at the Par-72 Montgomerie course.
Thomas, who turned 19 in November and is based in Dubai, shot eight birdies and an eagle and had a solitary bogey on the Par-3 16th. Opening on the first, Thomas went into overdrive from the start with birdies on first, third and fourth and added two more on sixth and seventh before yet another on ninth. He reached the turn in a sensational 6-under 31. Two more birdies followed on 10th and 13th, before he dropped his only shot of the day on 16th. The long-hitting Thomas, who missed a birdie on only one par-5, the 15th, where he parred, demolished the Par-5 17th. He reached in two and holed an eagle for a 64.
Also at 8-under but at the O’Meara course was Swiss 23-year-old Perry Cohen, who still had three holes to play on the front nine as he started from the tenth.
Robin Dawson of Ireland shot 7-under 65 at Montgomerie course and Sadom Kaewkanjana, who won the All India Amateurs last year, were Tied-4th.
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