Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas became just the second man to win on his maiden Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) appearance as the 24-year-old sealed his first pro win at the Coimbatore Open.
The Indian prodigy, who recently turned pro after graduating from the University of Oklahoma, started the day one shot off the lead at Coimbatore Golf Club, and kept himself in the race after making the turn at two under with three third birdies and one bogey on the front nine.
Thomas switched from hunter to hunted on the back nine, collecting birdies on the 13th, 15th and 16th to take the outright lead in just his fourth start since turning professional.
He would have hoped for a drama-free last two holes, but there were anxious moments on the 17th after his ball was plugged in the bunker.
The two-time MENA Tour winner played it over the green before escaping with a bogey after a great up and down to ensure he held on to the lead.
The 72nd hole would be a much easier task for the youngster, who made a comfortable two-putt par to secure a one stroke victory on 14 under par.
“It was a really good round today, in fact my best of the week,” said Thomas, who collected a cheque for ₹15,00,000 (65,686.46AED) for his triumph.
“I had a little scare on the 17th but then did well to salvage the situation by playing a quality chip on that hole to stay ahead and then producing a couple of good shots on the last hole. The pressure was off when I knew I could make a two-putt to win on the 18th.
“I feel playing college golf in the United States helped me prepare well for the professional level. You experience a lot of pressure in US college golf because playing for a team your score means a lot more.
“Growing up in Dubai has also helped a lot as I’ve had access to some of the best golfing facilities there. Coming back to my home country India completes the cycle for me.
“My grit and patience stood out for me this week. There were a lot of birdie chances out there so it was easy to get complacent when you don’t get a birdie. But I was happy with how I stayed patient and kept it going.
“I really enjoyed my first outing at the Coimbatore Golf Club. It’s a magnificent venue.”
Manu Gandas took second place at 13 under, while third round leader Akshay Sharma had to settle for third on 12 under.
