Dubai-born Rayhan Thomas aims for success as PGA Tour Qualifying School kicks off in Nebraska

Dubai's own Rayhan Thomas is all set for one of the next challenges of his burgeoning career as he steps up to compete in the First Stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School, presented by Korn Ferry, at Wilderness Ridge Country Club in Lincoln, Nebraska.

"I’m excited and ready to get going," said the newly-turned professional golfer.  "I’m approaching this like another tournament and take it one shot at a time."

The tournament will span 72 gruelling holes from Tuesday, October 8th to Friday, October 11th, 2024. The 7,107-yard layout will play as a par 71, testing every facet of the young golfer’s game.

Rayan, representing Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, will tee off his first round at 10:00 AM local time from the 10th tee in a two-tee start format, signalling the beginning of his quest to advance through one of golf’s toughest pathways—the road to a PGA Tour card.

For Rayan, this is not just another tournament but a crucial step in a journey that could see him compete alongside some of the game’s elite players. All eyes will be on the talented Dubai-born golfer as he makes his bid for the next phase of his professional career.

'It should be fun'

“I have been practising and playing a lot recently whilst here in the US, ready for this week,” 24-year-old Rayhan told Khaleej Times. “It should be fun. I will try to ignore all the noise around qualification.”

“I have been pleased with my results at the various events I have played in the US, Morocco, England and India, since turning professional in June earlier this year.

The exact number of available qualifying spots to progress to Stage Two Qualifying School will be posted after round one.

The Nebraska event is one of 13 First Stage Qualifying School tournaments for the PGA Tour, with four taking place this week in Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, and Nebraska.

Stepping stones

The remaining qualifiers will unfold over the coming weeks, scheduled between October 15th-18th and October 22nd-25th, 2024. These events serve as critical stepping stones for aspiring golfers, each vying for a coveted spot in the next stage of their journey toward earning a PGA Tour card.

The next 40 finishers and ties at the Final Stage will earn exempt status through multiple reshuffles of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, with the first 25 finishers and ties being subject to the third reshuffle, and any remaining finishers within the category being subject to the second reshuffle.

All the remaining finishers at the Final Stage will have Korn Ferry Tour membership, in addition to being exempt through the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season.

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