Rayhan Thomas, the Indian golfer born in Dubai, delivered a steady performance with a three-under-par 69 in the third round of the KGiSL Presents Coimbatore Open on the PGTI Tour, positioning himself strongly in a tie for second place at 1-under, with only 18 holes left at the Coimbatore Golf Club.
Akshay Sharma continues to lead at the Coimbatore Golf Club, maintaining his position at 11-under par after rounds of 69, 65, and 71. Rayhan shares the second spot with Sachin Baisoya, who scored 70, 69, and a remarkable 67 in the third round. The competition is closely contested, with just a single stroke separating the leading players as they approach the final round.
In the final three-ball of the day, the 24-year-old Rayhan, who recently turned pro, started with a birdie on the first hole. A bogey on hole 7, which was his second bogey on that hole this week, resulted in a level par 36. He finished strong with birdies on holes 11, 13, and 16, ending the back nine with a 33 and a total of 69.
“It was a bit of a struggle today at times, but it has put me in a good position for the final round,” Rayhan shared with Khaleej Times. “The wind was not as expected today,” he noted, adding that despite occasional gusts on the tree-lined course, the strong winds typical of this part of India had not been a significant factor this week. Rayhan expressed his excitement for the final day, being just one shot behind the leader.
Rayhan’s uncle, an avid golfer from Bangalore with a handicap close to single figures, is caddying for him. The team has instructed him to ‘Show up, carry the bag, keep up and shut up,’ which seems to be working well. Rayhan’s sister Sasha is also supporting him by walking the course.
The tournament’s prize fund is ₹1 Crore (AED 437,488). The PGTI, sponsored by Tata Steel and established in 2006, is the governing body for professional golf in India. Rayhan will tee off in the final round tomorrow (Saturday) at 9.50 am local time in the last group, playing alongside Baisoya and Sharma.
