Dubai’s Rayhan Thomas got off to a flying start at the $1 million Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard in Colombia, carding a four-under-par 66 in the opening round to sit in a tie for 22nd place.
Rayhan Thomas made the most of his round on the Pacos Course at Country Club de Bogotá, navigating the shorter layout with confidence. American Rick Lamb leads the field after an eight-under-par 62, setting the early pace in the Korn Ferry Tour event.
Fast Start on the Front Nine
Starting on the first hole, Thomas put together an impressive outward nine of four-under 31, thanks to five birdies and just one bogey. After dropping a shot on the second hole, he quickly recovered with back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth, followed by a three-hole birdie streak from the seventh to the ninth.
On the back nine, he kept the momentum going with another birdie at the 12th before a late bogey on the 17th saw him sign for his 66. With 87 of the 156 players in the field finishing under par, the competition remains tight heading into the second round.
Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard Leaderboard
Looking Ahead to Round Two
Speaking to WorldWide Golf after his round, Rayhan Thomas reflected on his performance: “It was a pretty solid start. The Pacos Course isn’t long at just 6,254 yards, so I expected some low scores. Looking ahead, I need to putt better and create more birdie chances – I’ll need them.”
Thomas will play his second round on the Lagos Course, teeing off at 2:25 pm GMT from the 10th hole. With mild winds and some showers expected, conditions could play a role in how the leaderboard shapes up.
PGA Tour Ambitions
Currently 24th on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Order of Merit after three events, Thomas is well in the hunt for a coveted top-20 finish by season’s end. If he maintains his form throughout the year, a full PGA Tour card could soon be within reach.
