The first of three weeks for the PGA Tour outside of America begins on Thursday as the stars of the American tour head to Malaysia for the now annual CIMB Classic.
Just like when the European Tour host the Malaysian Open here earlier in the year this event is co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour so a number of players from that ever improving tour get starts this week and the chance to chase their dreams of a permanent tour card in the States.
The Kuala Lumpur Colf & Country Club’s West Course is the venue this week, as it is for the European Tour’s Malaysian Open so it should be fairly well known. It is a par 72 but it measures 15 yards fewer than 7,000 so it isn’t long especially with the humid air.
Hitting fairways and greens will be essential this week, greens in particular and the winner of the tournament will almost certainly be someone who putts well so that is another key statistic.
In total there are only 78 men teeing it up this week and all of them are guaranteed four rounds as there is no cut which is pretty unique for this stage of the season.
Henrik Stenson is the star name playing this week and given his good record in Turkey where the European Tour stops off at the same time he must really fancy going well to avoid that slot. He is the 7/1 favourite ahead of 14/1 Kevin Na who has already twice been a runner up this season and who was runner up here last season. Hideki Matsuyama, Branden Grace and Sergio Garcia are all under 20/1 with defending champion Ryan Moore 22/1.
Ryan Moore has won this tournament both times that it has been held here so he will be a pretty popular pick this week I would imagine but winners of the same tournament for three successive years are very rare and I sense he’s slightly below his best so I’ll tentatively pass him over.
I wonder how beneficial those who played in Hong Kong last week will find things this week. They are already acclimatised to the time change and the humid conditions and that has to be an advantage. Ian Poulter showed last week you can play golf at short notice off a long flight but he also showed the travelling catches up with you in the end. With that in mind most of my picks played in Hong Kong last week.
The first is a rare American who travels well in Patrick Reed. Reed won the tournament behind the runaway front two in Hong Kong last week to continue his good recent run in Asia having been part of the Presidents Cup team. Reed hits a lot of greens in regulation and is right up there as a putter and a scrambler. With his confidence good and his body clock nicely adjusted I’m expecting another big week from the Texan.
One man who will be pleased that the tournament is back on this course is the man who won the Malaysian Open around here earlier in the year in the form of Anirban Lahiri. Lahiri now has a PGA Tour card so this is the first event of a big year for him and I’m expecting good things from him. He is another who hits plenty of greens and has a great short game and off the back of a solid effort in Hong Kong last week he’s ripe for another big week in Malaysia here.
Finally I’m going to chance a couple at silly prices. Both are pure gut instincts more than anything else but after a big priced winner last week we can spare a couple of points to have a go at these.
The first is a man who has a wonderful record in Malaysia in Padraig Harrington. In nine bashes at the Malaysian Open he has only finished outside the top 15 once and that includes five top 10s. Not all of them were around this track although one was in 2013 so there is clearly something about Kuala Lumpur that the Irishman agrees with.
In fact his record in Asia as a whole is pretty good with him having four wins in the continent in total including one as recent as December last year when he landed a title in Indonesia. Given that record the three time major champion is worth a pop at a big three figure price.
Anyone who followed me before I began this blog will know SSP Chawrasia did me in when he totally collapsed in the Indian Open earlier in the year but holding a grudge against a player gets you nowhere and I’ve a gut feeling he might go well this week. He has a wonderful short game and a profile that should suit this course.
Chawrasia has been spending the last few weeks fighting hard to retain his tour card in Europe and failing in that quest but now he can just enjoy a tournament for what it is, an opportunity rather than a pressure cooker and I think he might benefit from that.
In an interview on the Asian Tour website the Indian states “I’ve played many times at the KLGCC and I feel comfortable on the course.” which should boost his confidence. Chawrasia was in the top 10 in the European Tour event here earlier in the year and hit a number of greens and putted well in Macau recently and so I’ll pay to see how well he does this week.
Back P.Reed to win CIMB Classic (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 23.00 with Stan James (1/4 1-5)
Back A.Lahiri to win CIMB Classic (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 26.00 with Bet365 (1/4 1-5)
Back P.Harrington to win CIMB Classic (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 176.00 with Stan James (1/4 1-5)
Back SSP.Chawrasia to win CIMB Classic (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 301.00 with Boylesports (1/4 1-5)
