Last year’s champion Rayhan Thomas will attempt to defend his title in the Qatar Open Amateur Golf Championship beginning at the Doha Golf Club tomorrow, the Qatar Golf Association announced yesterday.
The Dubai-based Indian teen defeated The Netherlands’ Pierre Verlaar Jr after forcing a tie with a birdie on the 18th before birdieing the hole again in the play-off to clinch victory.
Prior to his win in Qatar last January, he had become the first amateur to win a MENA Tour event, the Dubai Creek Open. In 2015, he also won the Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit.
“We are happy to inform that the winner last year, Rayhan Thomas, will be playing again in the Qatar Open,” Qatar Golf Association general secretary Fahad al-Nuaimi told a press conference yesterday.
The 16-year-old’s victory last year earned him a dream spot at the European Tour’s prestigious Commercial Bank Qatar Masters where he unfortunately missed the cut.
Thomas is the number one amateur in the UAE and a second straight win in Doha would ease his path to the big league with yet another chance to play in the Qatar Masters.
A total of 126 golfers have confirmed their participation in the 31st edition of the event which will be played over three rounds of individual stroke play.
“These 126 players will be representing 38 countries,” QGA executive director Fahad al-Nuaimi said. Of the 126 players, a whopping 24 are from Bahrain which has traditionally enjoyed a large presence in the tournament, while 12 will represent Great Britain.
There will be nine Qatari golfers, with the top two among them getting a chance to play in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters later in the month. Besides the winner’s trophy, 10 individual prizes for the top 10 gross scorers will be awarded by the organisers.
  The tournament is being sponsored by the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Qatar Golf Association, InterContinental Doha Hotel, Al Muftah Rent a Car and Doha Golf Club.