Dubai’s Rayhan Thomas (Ind) positioned himself strategically at the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School Stage Two on Wednesday, achieving six under par after 36 holes. He’s close to seizing the chance ahead, aware of the narrow margins that characterize events like this.
Acknowledging his status as ‘on the outside looking in,’ Thomas is nearing a significant milestone in his career: securing a spot in the Final Stage and keeping his Korn Ferry Tour dreams alive.
Thomas added a one-under-par 71 to his initial 67, tying for 18th after two rounds in Savannah, USA.
Brett Stegmaier (US) leads with two consecutive 66s, totaling 12-under-par 132, holding a one-shot advantage. The leaderboard is tightly contested, with 32 players at five under or better.
Left-hander Ted Potter Jr (US), a two-time PGA Tour winner, and Asian Tour player Kieren Vincent from Zimbabwe are also in contention.
Returning to familiar ground
Competing again in Stage Two at the same venue, Thomas started on hole 10 among 76 players at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club (Deer Creek) in Savannah, Georgia.
The 26-year-old had a mixed first nine, with bogeys on 10, 14, and 15, countered by birdies on 11, 16, and 18. He steadied on the second nine (holes 1–9), making eight pars and a birdie on the fifth.
After his round, Thomas told Khaleej Times: “The weather was pretty cool today, with little or no wind. It was a good day for scoring – I just wasn’t that sharp today.
“The pins were tougher than in round one. I couldn’t hit the ball close enough. My approach and putting weren’t quite on point – margins are tight when so much is at stake this week.
“I was pleased to grind it out and finish under par, which keeps me on track,” he added. “I need to be aggressive in the next two rounds, make more birdies, and avoid mistakes and bogeys.”
Clarity under pressure
With everything at stake, Thomas’s words showed the clarity of someone who knows the demands of this stage better than most.
“I’m on the outside looking in, as I’ve been before. I need to keep playing well, stay competitive, and keep pushing,” he said. “I’m just one shot behind the mark, but I need to focus on my game, control what I can, and hopefully, everything else will fall into place,” Thomas concluded.
After four rounds, the top 15 players and ties will advance to the 72-hole Final Qualifying, set for December 11–14, 2025, at TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley) and Sawgrass Country Club (East and West) in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The current qualifying number is seven under par, with 17 players inside the mark.
Pre-Qualifying for the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour began in August, with 12 Stage One locations. Thomas was exempt from Pre-Qualifying due to his 2025 Korn Ferry Tour cardholder status.
In the Final Stage, the top five finishers will earn full PGA Tour cards, while the next 40 and ties secure full Korn Ferry Tour status for 2026.
Thomas represents Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and is sponsored by Hero, Wilson, Cadillac, and the Dubai Basketball Association.
For live scoring, visit pgatq.bluegolf.com.
