The Indian amateur is conspicuous by his absence in the line-up for next month’s 12th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at his home Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club after falling outside the top 1000 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings. It was an event he very nearly won in 2018 which would have secured a dream invite to the Masters and Open Championship.

It has been quite the plummet since for Thomas who became the first amateur winner on the Pro-Am MENA Tour in 2016 before defending the title at his home Dubai Creek course the following year amid an explosion of global media interest. That courtesy of a second-round 61 where he tied Mark Calcavecchia’s world record by making nine straight birdies.

Incredibly though, the swing yips that have taken Thomas to rock bottom had already emerged. He started 2019 with two European Tour starts including an opening 67 at the Saudi International to sit inside the top 10.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 30: Rayhan Thomas reacts after missing a putt during Day 3 of the 2019 East Lake Cup at East Lake Golf Club on October 30, 2019, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

“And then I just blew up,” Thomas, who followed with a 77 to miss the cut, told Golf Channel.

In his first two seasons in college golf for the Oklahoma State University Cowboys, Thomas qualified for just four events – all came during his freshman season – and faded from the limelight.

“It affected pretty much every part of my game,” Thomas said. “It took a toll on me physically and mentally. … It definitely did cross my mind, maybe taking a break, but deep down I know I love this sport. It’s what keeps me happy.”

Unable to return to Dubai due to the COVID-19 outbreak, about all Thomas could do was dig a solution out of the range dirt.

Now in his junior year at OSU, things are looking up. As Golf Channel report, Thomas has yet to finish outside the top 20 in his five starts as a junior. He’s qualified for two starting lineups, including for this week’s East Lake Cup, where he tied for eighth in stroke play and halved his match against Arizona State’s highly regarded Cameron Sisk. In his individual tournaments, he has two more top-10s, most notably a runner-up showing at the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate.

OSU coach Alan Bratton is full of praise for the fight shown by the serial Emirates Golf Federation winner and MENA Tour trailblazer.

“Golf’s a hard game, and you’re usually not as bad as you think you are, and good golf is not usually as far away as sometimes it can feel … but it happens all the time, even to the best players in the world,” Bratton said.

“But Ray did all the work. He’s such a great kid, and through his struggles he’s kept a great attitude and worked really hard. He came to the course with a smile on his face, trying to just work to keep getting better, and he’s played well this semester.”

Our man @RayhanThomas is showing that the turnaround in his form is for real.

A week after finishing 2nd at Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate, he qualified for the @eastlakecup and is traveling with @OSUCowboyGolf teammates in style. #GolfSchool pic.twitter.com/pDVLKWBJE8

— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyofGolf) October 24, 2021

The best bit is Thomas knows he’s nowhere near his best yet.

“I don’t think I’m anywhere close which is a good thing because I know I can get a hell of a lot better.”

Getty Images

The post Dubai prodigy Rayhan Thomas reveals ‘mental and physical’ toll of his return from rock bottom appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The 18-year-old Indian took to social media on Sunday to confirm his long held ambition to play collegiate golf in the U.S. And what a team he’s been courted by and verbally committed too.

Extremely excited to verbally commit to Oklahoma State !! ? #gopokes #silverback ?

A post shared by Rayhan Thomas (@ray_jthomas) on Dec 16, 2017 at 10:18am PST

Oklahoma State University is among the most decorated schools in U.S golf with 10 national championships and one of the most dominant forces in the modern era thanks to names such as world No.7 Fowler who responded to Thomas’ Instagram announcement:.

“@ray_jthomas congrats bud and look forward to seeing you in Stilly!”

The OSU Cowboys won the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Golf Championship in May. Among its other famed alumni are Charles Howell III, Bob and Kevin Away, Peter Uihlein, Hunter Mayhan, Bo Van Pelt, Scott Verplank, Morgan Hoffmann, Alex Noren and Brian Watts who was runner-up in the 1998 Open Championship. Verplank (1986), Watts (1987) and Howell (2000) won individual national titles as Cowboys.

Thomas, the world amateur No.22 who qualified No.1 for the International team for the Junior Presidents Cup earlier this year, isn’t expected to line-up for the Cowboys until 2019.

The post Rayhan Thomas is a Cowboy and Rickie Fowler is delighted appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.