Young Rayhan Thomas shot a career-best five-under 66 to seize the early initiative, leaving many better-known names trailing in his wake after the opening round of the Mena Golf Tour’s Dubai Creek Open on Monday.
Playing on his home course, the 15-year-old, Dubai-based amateur from India reeled off one eagle and four birdies against a lone bogey to take a one-shot lead over his playing partner Jake Shepherd of England and Cyril Suk of the Czech Republic.
Lurking two shots off the pace were the English duo of Luke Joy and Joshua White and Austrian Florian Praegant.
Thomas’s solid all-round performance had self-belief written all over it as he became the youngest golfer to lead a Mena tournament after the first round.
“I am really delighted with my day’s work and couldn’t have asked for a better start to the tournament,” said the UAE’s top-ranked amateur, who will be home-schooled later this year to devote more time to his golf.
“Certainly, the local knowledge came in handy as the key to playing good golf on this course is to avoid silly mistakes, which I did.
“What really provided the spark to my round was the eagle on the par-5 fourth (hole), when I smashed my three-wood from 280 yards to within 15 feet and holed the ensuing putt.”
Joy opened his title defence with a 68, mixing seven birdies with two bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4 seventh hole to stay in the frame.
“I played some solid golf and hope to keep the momentum rolling all the way through,” said Joy, who is aiming to match the feat of his compatriot Zane Scotland as the only other back-to-back winner of the event.
“I made some silly mistakes out there as I had trouble adjusting to the speed of the greens.
“But overall, I am pleased with my efforts.”
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