By Kent Gray
Rayhan Thomas’ ability to go seriously low when it counts is not a new phenomenon.

The Dubai prodigy was just 16 when he signed for an opening 65 – and all three rounds in the 60s – en-route to becoming the first amateur winner of a MENA Tour event at the Dubai Creek Open in September 2016.

Fast-forward to his defence of that historic title this past September and Thomas flirted with golf’s mythical mark of 59 in the second round before putting his autograph on a 10-under 61.

RELATED: Watch Rayhan Thomas’ world record-equalling round at Dubai Creek

He eventually settled for a joint runner-up finish at his beloved home event but had the not insignificant consolation of equalling the world record for successive birdies in a professional event – nine –  in that magical 61.

Yesterday the now 18-year-old Indian arguably trumped it all with a nine-under 64 at the Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland to sit atop the individual standings at the biennial world amateur teams championship.

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Dane John Axelsen also fired a 64 but he was an eight-under effort on Carton House’s Montgomerie layout; Thomas’ round was achieved on the club’s par 73 O’Meara course.

Thomas’ score could have been better too – he bogeyed the 16th hole but showed his bounce back-ability with an eagle three at the very next to almost single handily propel India into contention.

India is tied third with Switzerland in the teams competition heading into Thursday’s second round at -9 in a format where the best two of three scores count towards a nations total each day. Kshitij Naveed Kaul contributed India’s other counting score with an even par 73.

Denmark leads on -12 thanks to Axelsen’s 64 and Rasmus Hojgaard’s 68 while hosts Ireland are second on -10.

“This is by far one of the best rounds I’ve ever played, I mean it was just clinical,” Thomas told GolfDigestme.com afterwards.

“I played really well, made the putts this time, hit it solid and did it when it counts which is awesome. I can’t wait for the tomorrow.”

Thomas is off at 12.48pm (3.48pm UAE time) in his second round today on the Montgomerie course and knows the trick now is to back up his magnificent start.

He started with a birdie hiss on Wednesday and roared out in 31 strokes with five more gains. There were further birdies on the 10th and 13th before the bogey blip was quickly forgotten when he left a 275 yard three wood second into the par 5 17th exactly 13 yards shot before promptly draining his putt from off the green.

“It was a great start to the week,” Thomas said in his typically understated manner.

“So yeah, this is a great little boost for the week but it’s just the start, still three days and a lot of golf to be played so keep playing like this and we’ll be fine.”

The UAE, meanwhile, start the second round in a share of 61st place on +10 after a solid even par 73 on the O’Meara course from Khalid Al Jasmi and an 83 from Ahmad Skaik. Saif Thabet had a non-counting 87.

Qatar leads the Arab nation battle in a share of 41st place on +2 while Saudi Arabia is T-56 on +6 with counting rounds from Othman Almulla (73) and Ali Alsakha (77) on the par 72 Montgomerie.

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“After the 2016 Eisenhower, I kind of realised how big the event was,” the 18-year-old Dubai-based Indian No.1 said of the World Amateur Teams Championship.

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“I saw the names of the people who have played it so set that as a goal, to try and make the 2018 team. And I’m glad I did because I’m 100 per cent sure this is going to be a great event.”

RELATED: Meet Othman Almulla, the Saudi amateur star about to play his third Eisenhower Trophy

Fast-forward to 8.07am (11.07am UAE time) on Wednesday and it will be mission accomplished for Thomas when he tees it up in the 31st Eisenhower Trophy at Carton House in Ireland, following in the spike marks of many of the game’s biggest names including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The MENA Tour trailblazer has been grouped with Brazilian Henrik Machado and Dutchman Nordin van Tilburg for the first two rounds of the 72-hole teams’ strokeplay event, on the O’Meara course Wednesday and Carton House’s Montgomerie layout on Thursday.

Thomas is joined by Aadil Bedi and Kshitij Naveed Kaul in Ireland after the trio helped India finish seventh in the recent Asian Games in Indonesia.

Bedi and Thomas placed T-13 individually in Jakarta and while Thomas slipped from fifth place after 36 holes, he’s more than happy with his form heading into the Eisenhower.

“I think I played really well for two days and even struck it well on the third day in the middle part [of his round] but it just wasn’t my week,” Thomas said after signing for rounds of 71-69-73-73 at Pondok Indah Golf & Country Club.

“I still think it is a good trend going forward and I think the game is finally coming together nicely, it’s not very far away, it’s just around the corner.”

India’s performance came in for some harsh criticism by the country’s sports media but Thomas typically handed the barbs with his usual level-headedness.

“There’s not much more we could have given our country I don’t think. All of the team wanted to win real bad but, you know, that’s the way it goes, you win some, you lose some.

“It’s an experience I’ll never forget, staying in the [Olympic Games style] village with the team and watching what all the other athletes do as well, just being around that atmosphere was amazing. Seeing how focused and dedicated all these athletes are was quite inspiring.”

As well as Thomas, Middle East interest in Ireland this week will centre around the Arab battle within the wider world battle between the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Khalid Al Jasmi, Ahmad Skaik and Saif Thabet will represent the UAE. Qatar’s team is Saleh Al Kaabi, Jaham Al Kuwan and Ali Al Shahrani while Saudi will send out Othman Almulla, Ali Hassan Alsakha and Khalid Waleed Attieh.

The biennial Eisenhower Trophy, named after the former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, was first played on the Old Course at St. Andrews in 1958. Australia claimed the inaugural title two years before Team U.S. won the first of their record 15 titles at fabled Merion in Pennsylvania. Nicklaus was part of that 1960s team and still holds the individual scoring record.

Jon Rahm (2014), Rickie Fowler (2008), Ryan Moore (2004) and Hal Sutton (1980) are other high profile players to claim leading individual honours while Tom Kite, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Scott Hoch, Michael Campbell and Luke Donald have all played the Eisenhower.

USA have recorded eight runner-up finishes to go with their 15 wins. Australia and Great Britain & Ireland have the next best record with four wins although England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland now play individually.

Canada, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, France, The Netherlands and Scotland are the only other teams to have hoisted the Eisenhower Trophy – all once each.

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The 28-year-old UAE national team captain continued his prep for September’s Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland by firing a new amateur course record at the Emirates Golf Federation’s (EGF) monthly medal – on none other than St Patrick’s Day.

Yousuf rattled off six birdies and a closing hole eagle against four bogeys to better by one the previous Jebel Ali amateur course record he’d previously set himself in a national team qualifier.

“My putter was hot and I made a lot of putts from 10 to 20 feet,” said the +1-handicapper who negotiated the two loops of the 9-holer in 32 and 36 strokes.

“With the course playing short but the winds affecting a lot of shots, it was important to keep the ball in the fairway. The shot of the day came on the par five, 18th hole when I had 232 yards for my approach shot that I hit to 15 feet. I went on to make that putt for eagle and breaking the record.

“It feels great to shoot a four-under-par round giving the amateur record to a UAE national.”

Indeed.

Yousuf is now waiting for confirmation of when and where the G.C.C. (Gulf Cooperation Council) Golf Championships will be staged and will also continue playing EGF Order of Merit events in the countdown to Eisenhower Trophy world amateur teams championship to be held at Carton House, near Dublin, from August 29-September 8.

Yousuf, meanwhile, was one of 42 UAE nationals to contest the March medal at Jebel Ali. Yousuf Al Ali, a 23-handicapper, won the title with 41 stableford points, one clear of Mohammed Al Dabal. UAE rep Abdallah Al Musharrekh was third on 39 points.

Saturday’s winners.

Trophies were also won by Saleh Al Ameri and Hamad Al Medfa who scored 38 and 34 points to win Division A (0-14 handicaps) and Division B (14-24 handicaps) respectively./

The EGF’s next National Monthly Medal is scheduled for Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club on April 28.

KHALID YOUSUF SETS NEW AMATEUR COURSE RECORD AT JEBEL ALI GOLF RESORT @JAresorts; AL ALI WINS MARCH NATIONAL MONTHLY MEDAL – Read more here –> https://t.co/pICFuTr9Uw pic.twitter.com/OAWWKM00XX

— Emirates Golf Fed. (@EGFuaegolf) March 18, 2018

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