Round 4 - Justin Thomas defends title

October 24, 2016

Justin Thomas completed a fairytale return to the CIMB Classic with a successful title defense after eight birdies in the final round Sunday earned him a three-shot victory over closest rival Hideki Matsuyama.

The American did not match his record tournament score of 26-under 262 in 2015, but still finished with an impressive 23 under for only his second PGA Tour title.

''It's great to win again here. It's a place I'm comfortable with ... Hopefully I will be able to come back next year,'' said Thomas, who shot a 64 to match his first-day score.

Overnight leader Anirban Lahiri, who led the field by four shots into the final round, lost ground after a quadruple bogey on the third hole, after his tee shot went into a tree.

The Indian recovered admirably with a birdie and eagle in the next two holes, but the early setback meant he only settled in joint third with Derek Fathauer (67).

''I got unlucky with the tee shot and just compounded my errors. My short game again, coming up a little bit to bite me,'' said Lahiri, the 2015 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.

Marc Leishman (66) finished one shot away from Lahiri in fifth, with Keegan Bradley (68) one spot below him on 16 under.

Round 3 - Anirban Lahiri vaults four clear

October 23, 2016

Defending champion Justin Thomas endured a terrible start to the third round of the CIMB Classic after the American faltered with three bogeys and a double bogey to finish with a 1-under 71 Saturday.

Thomas was swiftly overtaken by Anirban Lahiri, who shone at the TPC Kuala Lumpur with nine birdies for a 65 to open up a four-shot lead going into the final round on Sunday.

Thomas had two bogeys and a double bogey in the first three holes of the back nine.

''Yeah, it was really just terrible golf for the first 13 holes. To be 4-over par out here, it was a very weird feeling. I don't know,'' he said.

At least the 23-year-old Thomas ended the penultimate round with five consecutive birdies.

''It was great to have that finish,'' Thomas said. ''I feel like that showed a lot of me and I hope that I can ride the momentum into tomorrow.''

Lahiri's low score positioned him at 19 under, a mark which could have been better if not for a double bogey on the 12th hole in an otherwise flawless scorecard.

''I just told myself that I got rid of my double-bogey early in the round today and just tried to focus on what I needed to do,'' said Lahiri, who was runner-up at the Asian Tour's Macau Open last week.

''You know, like I said, I feel like I'm hitting it good with my irons, my wedges and I'm putting it good.''

Scotland's Russell Knox played another solid round for a 68, to move tied for second with Thomas.

Trailing a shot behind them are Derek Fathauer, James Hahn and Hideki Matsuyama, who are tied at 14-under.

Ryan Moore, the 2013 and 2014 winner, finished tied on 17th after managing a 70.

Round 2 - Justin Thomas moves two clear

October 22, 2016

Justin Thomas had a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead halfway through the CIMB Classic, staying within striking distance of the tournament record he set in winning the title here last year.

He started the second round in a three-way share of the lead with Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer after opening with a 64, and followed up with a bogey-free round containing six birdies to move to 14 under, two shots clear of Asian Tour leader Anirban Lahiri.

Thomas, who won his first PGA Tour title here last year in a tournament record 26-under-par 262, wasn't entirely happy with his iron shots and wedges in the second round but remains hopeful of producing some very low scores on the weekend at the par-72, 7,005-yard TPC Kuala Lumpur.

''The thing about this course, you can go shoot 12- or 13-under in a day,'' he said, ''so hopefully I can get it going a little bit this weekend ... like I did last year.''

Lahiri had eight birdies but finished with a 66 - after a double-bogey on his final hole for the second consecutive day - leaving him at 12 under.

''Both yesterday and today I've played good - I think I played solid right through,'' said Lahiri, who was runner-up at the Asian Tour's Macau Open last week. ''It's just very disappointing to finish the way I did. Both days I think I left four or five shots out there coming in. I would have liked to be in a better position the way I've played, but it's not over yet.''

Scotland's Russell Knox carded nine birdies in a 63 to move into a tie for third place at 11 under along with James Hahn and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who both had 64s.

Ryan Moore, who won the CIMB Classic in 2013 and 2014k, moved into a share of eighth at 8 under with a 65 in the second round, making up for an opening 71.

Fathauer had a 70 and was in a share of sixth place, and Bradley had a 71 in the second round to slip into a tie for eighth.

There is no cut for the tournament, so the whole field of 78 will play on the weekend.

Round 1 - Three top first round leaderboard

October 21, 2016

Justin Thomas began his title defense with an 8-under 64 at the CIMB Classic on Thursday, making nine birdies and a bogey to move into a three-way tie with Keegan Bradley and Derek Fathauer for the first-round lead.

Thomas, who won his first PGA Tour title here last year in a tournament-record total 26-under-par 262, said he felt at ease in the opening round of the PGA Tour-sanctioned event.

''If there's such a thing as an easy 8-under, it was,'' Thomas said. ''I wedged it great. I took advantage of the first three par 5s.

''I was just very comfortable and hit it in there close a couple of times and made a couple putts, but it was a pretty low-stress day.''

Bradley had six birdies on the front nine and an eagle at the par-5 10th but then had two bogeys on his next three holes before recovering with birdies at the 16th and 17th.

England's Paul Casey was one stroke behind the leaders at 7 under, one clear of Asian Tour leader Anirban Lahiri and two ahead of a group of four at 5 under, including Sergio Garcia and Aaron Baddeley.

Ryan Moore, who won the CIMB Classic in 2013 and 2014, opened with a 71 in his first tournament since he delivered the winning Ryder Cup point for the Americans.

He was one of 13 players tied for 44th at 1 under, including Ian Poulter, who was making his first PGA Tour-sanctioned start since a foot injury in May caused him to take off the rest of the season. Poulter tied for 28th last week at the Macau Open, his first tournament back.

Scores

 

About Ben Brett