CIMB Asia Pacific Classic 2014: Daily Leaderboard Analysis, Highlights and More
The PGA Tour continued its early-season progress as it headed from Georgia to Malaysia for the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
A fairly strong field included Spaniard Sergio Garcia, England's Lee Westwood and Americans Billy Horschel and Patrick Reed.
Here's a look at the leaderboard and day-by-day reports for all the action in Kuala Lumpur:
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Day 4
All scorecard information courtesy of PGATour.com.
Ryan Moore won the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic for the second year running. The American golfer shot 67 on Day 4 to help see off competition from Gary Woodland and Kevin Na:
Moore's scorecard was highlighted by eight birdies on the course at Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps the decisive moment came at the 14th, as detailed by PGA Tour:
It was a lead Moore would never relinquish. He also made par on seven other holes, in a display of typically solid efficiency.
Moore mixed in shades of the spectacular, not least at the 17th. He confidently attacked the pin with his second shot, as highlighted below:
Away from Moore's heroics, Spaniard Sergio Garcia managed to keep pace with the American trio at the top of the leaderboard. But a double bogey at the 10th ruined an otherwise impressive day.
Here's what the final leaderboard looked like:
| Position | Golfer | Total | Round 4 |
| 1 | Ryan Moore | -17 | 67 |
| T2 | Gary Woodland | -14 | 67 |
| T2 | Kevin Na | -14 | 70 |
| T2 | Sergio Garcia | -14 | 69 |
| T5 | Cameron Smith | -12 | 68 |
| T5 | Sang-Moon Bae | -12 | 69 |
| 7 | John Senden | -11 | 68 |
| T8 | Rory Sabbatini | -10 | 66 |
| T8 | Davis Love III | -10 | 68 |
| T8 | Prom Meesawat | -10 | 69 |
Moore, Woodland and Na weren't the only Americans who earned some headlines on the fourth day. Veteran Davis Love III turned the clock back just enough to record his first creditable finish in a year:
The 50-year-old hit four birdies and made par on the other 14 holes to finish in the top 10. It wasn't quite vintage stuff, but still the best he's looked for a while.
But the day really belonged to Moore. He'd begun play tied with Na for top spot on the leaderboard.
Yet Moore never wavered under the pressure. He simply outlasted his countrymen and prospective favourite Garcia for his fourth Tour win.
Day 3
Kevin Na and Ryan Moore stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic on Saturday, as the American duo moved to 12 under par after two impressive rounds.
| Position | Golfer | To Par | Round 3 |
| T1 | Kevin Na | -12 | 67 |
| T1 | Ryan Moore | -12 | 67 |
| T3 | Sergio Garcia | -11 | 68 |
| T3 | Bill Hurley | -11 | 71 |
| T5 | Gary Woodland | -9 | 66 |
| T5 | Sang Moon Bae | -9 | 68 |
| T5 | Kevin Chappell | -9 | 70 |
| T5 | Kevin Streelman | -9 | 71 |
| T9 | Brendon de Jonge | -8 | 65 |
| T9 | Patrick Reed | -8 | 68 |
| T9 | Angelo Que | -8 | 69 |
| T9 | Cameron Smith | -8 | 69 |
| T9 | Jeff Overton | -8 | 71 |
While Bill Hurley held the overnight lead, Na and Moore shot a pair of five-under-par 67s to take a share of the lead at 12 under, although there’s a strong chasing park behind them.
Here’s a look at the top 10 after another exciting day in Kuala Lumpur:
Moore came into this week’s tournament as the defending champion, and has more than lived up to the tag by putting together some impressive rounds.
The 31-year-old added a 67 to Thursday and Friday’s respective scores of 69 and 68, and he looks in the mood for back-to-back victories.
The American raced out of the traps with three birdies in his first five holes and went on to card four more throughout the round, including an impressive birdie on the par-three 11th—as PGA Tour revealed:
Were it not for a couple of sloppy bogies and some short game errors, Moore would be clear of the field, but he’s in a good position heading into Sunday, and a familiar one as the Saturday CIMB Classic leader.
However, it’s not going to be easy for Moore with the impressive Na looking to chalk up his first PGA Tour win in over three years.
The 31-year-old has struggled for consistency in recent seasons, and his performance in Kuala Lumpur sums up his topsy-turvy form.
Luckily, though, it’s been a very positive Na this week, with Saturday’s 67 as close to perfect golf as he’s been for many a month.
The South Korea-born American birdied holes three, four and five to move three under in double-quick time, before a couple of birdies on the back nine sealed the 67 total.
It all seems to be a question of which Na will turn up when he takes to the course, but if he produces a similarly strong round on Sunday, then he’ll most certainly be in contention.
Elsewhere, Sergio Garcia sits in a tie for third with overnight leader Bill Hurley after a 68, while the American shot a one-under 71.
Garcia has looked solid from his first shot in Kuala Lumpur, with his short game uncharacteristically clicking into gear.
Five birdies and a bogey gave the Spaniard his four-under total, with this chip-in at the 11th his highlight of the day, per PGA Tour:
Garcia being just a shot back of Na and Moore sets up an exciting Sunday in Malaysia, and with wind speed set to be down once again, there could be a few low scores.
Moore will look to use last year’s experience to cross the line, but with Na, Garcia and several other members of the chasing pack all in good form, he’ll have to show something special to get over the line.
Day 2
Billy Hurley III sits atop the leaderboard after the second day's play in Kuala Lumpur, the American producing another round of 65 to reach 10-under par going into the weekend.
His compatriot Kevin Streelman sits two shots back in second after shooting another 68, not carding a single bogey in a solid round.
High-profile Europeans Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia are both poised in a group on seven-under par after their strong showings on Friday.
But it was Hurley who caught the eye. Starting on the 10th, he made significant moves on the back nine as he carded six birdies, including three consecutively going into the turn, per the PGA Tour:
Despite less success coming back in—making a double bogey on the second before a birdie on the seventh saw him finish well—the 32-year-old's stunning golf on his opening nine makes him the man to beat.
Westwood was on brilliant form in his second round, a seven-under 65 giving him significant momentum ahead of Saturday and Sunday.
The Englishman kicked off in supreme fashion with back-to-back birdies on the opening two holes but bettered that with a stunning ace at 11 in a bogey-less round, per the PGA Tour:
Garcia continued his good form to put himself into contention for the weekend, the Spaniard going one better than his Day 1 score by carding a four-under round of 68.
Defending champion Ryan Moore is also in amongst it at the top of the leaderboard on seven-under after Friday saw him card a 69.
It was not such a brilliant day for first-round leader Rikard Karlberg as the Swede went four-over on Friday with a 76, although he is still only seven shots back.
The top of the leaderboard in the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic is currently peppered with top-quality golfers and the scoring has been consistently low across the first two rounds.
Despite his two-shot lead, Hurley will do well to hold on over the weekend as there are still plenty of realistic candidates to take the title come Sunday.
Day 1
Sweden's Rikard Karlberg set the pace on Day 1 of the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic as he carded a seven-under par round of 65.
The 27-year-old finished off his front nine with three consecutive birdies and came back to the clubhouse with a bogey-less 34 to put himself in prime position after the first day's play.
The PGA Tour provides highlights of Karlberg's round along with many of the other leading contenders:
Karlberg will start Friday with a two-shot lead as Angelo Que, Billy Hurley III and Brian Stuard are currently tied for second place after matching rounds of 67.
Veteran Davis Love III sits three shots back on four-under after a terrific round of 68, which included an eagle three on the 10th, although two back-nine bogeys will have caused some frustration.
Defending FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel got his tournament started with an unspectacular even-par round of 72, four dropped shots in three holes around the turn proving very problematic.
The 27-year-old Floridian stated his aim to retain his title in the 2014-15 season ahead of the Malaysia tournament, per the Associated Press' Chris Lines via The Detroit News:
"No one has been able to do it [defend the FedExCup]. There's only been one guy to win two FedEx Cups and that's a guy by the name of Tiger Woods; he's not too bad. But I want to be the first guy to defend. That would be an unbelievable thing to do.
"
Horschel has a lot of work to do to play himself into contention for the weekend, but if he can remove Thursday's errors from his game, he will surely progress up the leaderboard.
Favourite Sergio Garcia put himself in contention with a three-under round of 69, the Spaniard recovering well from an over-par front-nine with four late birdies, although he still felt there was a better score to be had, per the PGA Tour:
Patrick Reed shot a 70 for two-under par in a solid opener while Lee Westwood recovered from a double-bogey at 14 to finish level par after picking up two shots in the final three holes.
There is some way to go yet and a strong field on show in Malaysia, but Karlberg has made a terrific start and will look to consolidate his position atop the leaderboard on Friday.
However, most of the big names are still in touch, which should make for a fascinating week's play as each man looks for an early-season tournament win.
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