Dubai: Teenage prodigy Rayhan Thomas took another step forward to becoming the first amateur to win a Mena Golf Tour event going into the final round of the Dubai Creek Open on Tuesday.
Starting the day one shot off the pace, Thomas, who is ranked 526th in the world, backed up his opening six-under 65 with a sparking 67 to join overnight leader Jake Shepherd atop the leaderboard on 10 under 132.
On a day when hot and humid conditions took its toll on the players’ energy levels and stamina, Shepherd moved to 11-under after the 13th, but a bogey on the closing hole prevented him from maintaining his overnight lead.
England’s Luke Joy carded a 69 to occupy solo third on seven under, two ahead of a four-man group which included his compatriot Zane Scotland, the most prolific winner on the Mena Golf Tour with 11 titles to his credit.
“I played scrappy golf. Drove the ball well, but iron game wasn’t that good. Also, I had a lot of putts that refused to go in,” said Shepherd, who like last year, will play alongside Thomas in the final group.
“He [Thomas] is a massive talent and a good friend. It will be fun playing with him again,” said the 25-year-old Englishman who had beaten Thomas in a playoff for the title which was his second Mena Golf Tour.
Thomas said: “Overall, I am very pleased with my efforts. Struck the ball as well as I did in the first round, but did not hole that many putts. I may have missed at least four birdie chances from within 12 feet,” who overcame an early bogey with five birdies, including three on the back nine.
“I am not thinking too much about the final round. Will try and focus on each shot as it comes and see what happens,” said Thomas, a two-time runner-up on the Mena Golf Tour.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the Mena Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.
