The PGA Tour heads to Asia this week for the CIMB Classic in Malaysia. Adam Scott is joined in the field by Patrick Reed, Ryan Moore, Sergio Garcia, Rafa Cabrera Bello and Paul Casey.
This will be the seventh time the CIMB Classic has featured on the PGA Tour. Ben Crane was the winner in 2010 and, since then, Bo Van Pelt, Nick Watney and Ryan Moore have been champions. In 2014, Moore successfully defended the title he first won in 2013.
In last season’s CIMB Classic, youngster Justin Thomas claimed his first PGA Tour title in this event. The 22-year-old carded a final round of 66 and finished one clear of Australia’s Adam Scott.
TPC Kuala Lumpur was formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, but it joined the TPC stable of venues this summer. Originally designed by Nelson & Haworth and opened in 1991, the track was overhauled and redesigned by Ted and Geoff Parslow in 2008.
Adam Scott is top-ranked player in the limited, 78-man field this week for the CIMB Classic and he’ll be looking to go one better than the runner-up finish he achieved last season.
Ryder Cup stars Patrick Reed, Ryan Moore, Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello will look to continue the good form they showed at Hazeltine while former Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter makes a return to competitive action, and the on-form Paul Casey will surely be among the favourites.
The weather forecast for KL looks mixed with the chance of isolated thunderstorms throughout. It’s unlikely that the whole event will get played without a break for the weather at some stage.
Venue: TPC Kuala Lumpur (West), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date: Oct 20-23
Course stats: par 72, 7,005 yards
Purse: $7,000,000 Winner: $1,260,000
Defending Champion: Justin Thomas (-26)
TV Coverage:
Thursday 20 – Sky Sports 4 from 3.30am
Friday 21 – Sky Sports 4 from 3.30am
Saturday 22 – Sky Sports 4 from 4am
Sunday 23 – Sky Sports 4 from 4am
Player watch:
Paul Casey – He may not have won in recent months, but he could hardly have been playing better. His last four starts on the PGA Tour have resulted in 2nd, 2nd, 4th and tied 3rd place finishes.
Paul Casey swing sequence:
Ryan Moore – He loves this course and has twice been a winner of the CIMB Classic. He comes into the event full of confidence after making the Ryder Cup team and then enjoying victory in the great biennial event.
Patrick Reed – Surely his exceptional Ryder Cup will set him up for a good spell of golf. He likes to play overseas through the autumn and this is the fourth time he’s played this event so he knows the course well.
Key hole: 14th. It may be only 358 yards long but, with a heavily bunkered fairway, and a tricky approach over a lake, it’s a hole that requires a careful and strategic approach.
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