By Kent Gray
He graced our 100th edition cover and starred again at the tournament to mark the milestone.

World amateur No.26 Rayhan Thomas fired as easy a 68 as you are likely to see on the Majlis course at Emirates Golf Club to unsurprisingly waltz away with the best gross crystal at the 10th Golf Digest Middle East Classic in association with King’s College Hospital London.

Related: Check out all the action from the Majlis in our photo gallery

The 17-year-old Indian No.1s round was highlighted by four birdies and driver, 8 iron, eight foot putt for eagle on the par 5 13th and could have been lower but for a couple of uncooperative putts from close range.

Here’s a sweet swing from the MENA Tour history-marker on the par 3 4th at the Majlis which presented in magnificent condition as ever:

A sweet swing from @RayhanThomas on the par 3 4th @EmiratesGC. The @WAGRank #26 shot 68 to win the 9th @GolfDigestME Classic in a canter. ? pic.twitter.com/tCJ1ZQjUz6

— Golf Digest ME (@GolfDigestME) October 18, 2017

Afterwards the Junior Presidents Cup representative was presented with a memento of his two Golf Digest covers from October 2016 and this month when he replicated our very launch issue cover from Nov. 2008 featuring singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake.

Thomas now has the prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in his sights. The winner at Royal Wellington GC in New Zealand’s capital city from Oct. 26-29 earns invites to next year’s U.S Masters at Augusta National and the Open Championship at Carnoustie in Scotland.

Meanwhile, Miguel Quintana won division A (0-10 handicap) title with 38 stable ford points, but only on a better back nine count back from Casper Schonfeldt. Paul Dillon won division B (11-24 handicaps) with 37 points to edge Kyle Taggart by a point.

Both Quintana and Dillon won a pair of shoes from sponsor ECCO while the runners-up scored season passes to January’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

On course prizes went to Yves Buchard and Schonfeldt for nearest the pin on the 7th and 15th holes respectively. Schonfeldt drove away with a weekend Mercedes experience courtesy of the series’ official lease partner Autoroute.

The Els Club’s Karl Whitehead won nearest the pin on 2 on the par 4 17th while Julek Szczawinski collected a pair of season passes to the Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens thanks to the straightest drive on the  par 5 3rd.

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