Malaysia’s Danny Chia will be determined to raise the local cheers when he tees up for the US$7 million CIMB Classic next week.
Chia, a two-time Asian Tour winner, will reunite with fellow Olympian Gavin Green as they attempt to become the first Malaysian to win the lucrative event held at the TPC Kuala Lumpur from October 20-23.
Chia, who qualified for the CIMB Classic as the highest ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Ranking, ended a 13-year title drought on the Asian Tour last year and produced a battling performance in front of the partisan home crowd at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year.
As the 43-year-old takes his place among the elite field, he makes no secret of his desire to make his country proud on home soil and improving of his best finish of tied-13th achieved at the 2011 edition of the CIMB Classic.
“I always enjoy competing at home as the patriotic support from the galleries never fail to fire me up,” said Chia.
“A good performance from either Gavin or myself will definitely take golf to greater heights in Malaysia and inspire many. That’s what I hope to do and I’ll do my best next week,” added Chia, who is ranked 254 in the world.
The CIMB Classic, which is also co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Association of Malaysia is part of the PGA TOUR’s season-long FedExCup competition.
Green had earlier booked his spot at the CIMB Classic when he won the SapuraKencana National Classic.
The event afforded the winner with a spot at the CIMB Classic.
“Playing in the CIMB Classic will be a huge achievement for me this year. It has been a good year so far and this will be another positive in my career. I can’t wait to play in my first PGA TOUR event on home soil,” said Green.
Offering full FedExCup points, the CIMB Classic will feature 78 players – 60 coming from the PGA TOUR, 10 from Asian Tour and eight sponsor’s exemptions.
It returns to TPC Kuala Lumpur (formerly known as Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club) as the second event of the 2016 – 2017 PGA TOUR season and will carry a total purse of USD7 million.
