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Dubai's Rayhan Thomas eyes Korn Ferry Tour momentum at Panama Championship
After reclaiming his Korn Ferry Tour status, Rayhan Thomas returns to familiar ground in Panama, determined to turn promise into progress in the race for a PGA Tour card
- PUBLISHED: Mon 26 Jan 2026, 7:20 PM
- By:
- Nick Tarratt, Guest Golf Writer
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Rayhan Thomas does not need reminding of how far he has come in his pursuit of a PGA Tour card for 2027 , but this week’s stop in Panama offers another timely checkpoint in his professional journey.
The Dubai-born golfer, who plays out of Dubai Creek Resort and was raised in the UAE to Indian parents, tees it up this week at the Club de Golf de Panama in Panama City, Panama, in the Panama Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, carrying both renewed confidence and unfinished business.
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Thomas regained his playing status late last year in Florida and arrives in Central America ranked 62nd on the season-long points list, knowing that momentum, not mileage, is now what matters most.
After a few days of preparation in Palm Beach, he made the short hop south for a Thursday start, eager to reset after a frustrating early swing through the Bahamas.
Missed cut, lessons learned
Thomas told Khaleej Times, “In the second week in the Bahamas, I hit the ball well but disappointingly missed the cut. I just didn’t have my A game around and on the greens, which is so important at all levels of the game. It was very windy, and the cut was at one over par.”
Those opening Korn Ferry Tour events were played in an unusual Sunday-to-Wednesday format, but Panama restores a more familiar rhythm, and, for Thomas, a welcome sense of déjà vu.
“The missed cut gave me a mini-break, and I am now re-energised for this week’s tournament. I played the same golf course last year in the same event, so I am looking forward to being back in familiar surroundings. I am confident that I can tidy up my game for a good week – to really get my season moving,” said Thomas.
The competitive depth of the Korn Ferry Tour has been on full display in recent weeks, highlighted by the extraordinary rise of 18-year-old Blades Brown. Thomas’ fellow Korn Ferry competitor produced eight consecutive tournament rounds that captured global attention.
Fresh off a tied 17th finish in the Bahamas, Brown flew straight to California and, without practice, opened The American Express on the PGA Tour with rounds of 67 and a course-record 60. Playing alongside world No.1 Scottie Scheffler in Saturday’s final group, Brown closed with rounds of 68 and 74 to finish tied 18th at 19 under par.
Margins matter, stakes higher
It was a reminder, if one was needed, of the fine margins and fierce standards that define life on the Korn Ferry Tour.
For Thomas, the objective is clear. The stakes are higher in 2026, with only the top 20 players at season’s end earning PGA Tour cards, down from 30 last year.
This week in Panama is not about sightseeing. It is about sharpening his game, stacking points, and keeping his name in the conversation as the season begins to take shape.
