Indian teen amateur shines among stars at Dubai Classic

Thrown into a field littered with superstars, the Dubai-based 17-year-old Indian amateur Rayhan Thomas stole the thunder from many of the established names with a superb four-under 68 at the US $ 2.65 million Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on Thursday.

Playing alongside fellow Indians, Anirban Lahiri (69), a PGA Tour player, and SSP Chawrasia (77), winner of five titles, three of them on European Tour, Thomas outscored both his playing partners. His 68 looked even more impressive as he was inside Top-10. Lahiri was Tied-14th and Chawrasia with a forgettable 77 was way down.

The huge group, including Thomas' parents and friends, walking with all-Indian group (Lahiri, Chawrasia and Thomas) was possibly the second largest after Tiger Woods, 2016 Master champion, Danny Willett, and 2016 DP World Championships winner, Mathew Fitzpatrick.

The leader was Spaniard Sergio Garcia, whose seven-under 65 gave him a one-shot lead over Chilean Felipe Aguilar and George Coetzee of South Africa. Five others, including Ian Poulter and David Lipsky, who birdied his first four holes, were tied-fourth at 67 each.

Woods shot his first-ever 'birdie-free' round at Dubai Classic with a 77 that had only five bogeys. But seeking a low second round, he said he has still not given up hope of winning the Desert Classic.

Lahiri, who played a practice round with Thomas on Wednesday was impressed with him. "He had a great day and shows immense potential," said Lahiri, whose own 69 included two misses on makeable par putts, misses towards the end.

Lahiri, playing only in his second Dubai Classic — after 2010 — was going great at five-under through 15 holes, before the bogeys on seventh and eighth. Earlier, he holed a great 50-footer for eagle from edge of the green on 18th, his ninth hole. The 17-year-old Thomas, India's top ranked amateur is making his debut at Dubai Classic and got a entry from Golf in Dubai, the organisers of the event. Ranked just

outside the World Top-100 in amateurs, he even won an event on the MENA pro Tour last September. On Thursday, he was five-under through 15 holes, before dropping a shot on par-3 seventh.