Did Rayhan Thomas Climb to T-12 in the Korn Ferry Tour Event?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rayhan Thomas finished the first round with a score of 5-under 65.
- He scored 4-under 66 in the second round, moving to T-12.
- Thomas recorded a total of nine under par at Vanderbilt Legends Club.
- The Simmons Bank Championship is part of the Korn Ferry Finals series.
- Austin Hitt leads the tournament with a score of 13 under par.
Franklin (USA), Sep 13 (NationPress) Following a weather delay during the first round, Rayhan Thomas returned to complete his initial round with an impressive score of 5-under 65 at the Simmons Bank Open on the Korn Ferry Tour. He then achieved a second round score of 4-under 66, elevating him to T-12 on the leaderboard with an aggregate score of nine under par at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
In his first round, Thomas showcased his skills with six birdies and just one bogey. The second round also featured five birdies and a single bogey.
Initially, Thomas had made three birdies before play was halted due to inclement weather. His successful birdies came on the first, third, fourth, ninth, 12th, and 15th holes, with his only bogey occurring on the 18th hole.
Starting his second round on the back nine, he made birdies on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 16th, and 17th holes, along with one bogey on the 15th, before scoring par on all the front nine holes.
The Simmons Bank Championship marks the beginning of the Korn Ferry Finals series. As the finals progressed, the field narrowed significantly. This week, 156 players are eligible for the Simmons Bank Championship, with only 144 advancing to the next week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
Looking ahead, the third event, the Compliance Solutions Championship, will feature a 120-man field, while the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship will host 75 players, eliminating the 36-hole cut.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju completed two rounds with a score of 2-over 72, totaling four over par, and unfortunately missed the cut this week. The Indo-Canadian is expected to drop slightly from his current 13th spot, yet with top 20 players earning a PGA Tour card, he still has a chance for one. He could improve his standing in the remaining events.
After successfully making the cut this week, Thomas is positioned to potentially break into the top 100 of the tour rankings. He is likely to compete in the next two events, giving him a chance to retain his card.
Austin Hitt leads at the halfway mark after an exceptional first round of 4-under 66 followed by a remarkable 9-under 61 in his second round, totaling 13 under par with 10 birdies and one bogey.
The first-round leader, Nelson Ledesma, is tied for second place with Stuart Macdonald, both achieving a score of 12 under par.