The PGA and Asian Tours combine this week for the CIMB Classic, a $7-million tournament held in Malaysia with a field that includes Adam Scott and Patrick Reed.
Branden Grace tops the South African list competing at TPC Kuala Lumpur this week, fresh of a tied-33rd finish at the Venetian Macao Open on Sunday.
The 28-year-old has won 11 tournaments worldwide and broke onto the PGA Tour last year with a victory at the RBC Heritage, which followed a successful title defence at the European Tour’s Qatar Masters.
The Fancourt Foundation graduate broke into the top 10 in the world in 2015, but has slipped to 16th this season. In Macao last week he said: ‘I want to get back into the top 10 and win another tournament, so hopefully we can do that soon.’
Kuala Lumpur is a good place to achieve that goal, with a handful of top-ranked players boosting the world ranking points on offer. Americans Reed, Justin Thomas, Ryan Moore and Kevin Chappell will tee up.
In the field are Emiliano Grillo, Paul Casey, Hideki Matsuyama, Kevin Kisner, Si Woo Kim and Kevin Na, while Ryder Cuppers Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello will also contend.
Four-time major champion Ernie Els, who celebrated his 43rd birthday on Monday, is there to represent South Africa alongside PGA Tour regular Tyrone van Aswegen.
The tournament promises to be an international spectacle and Grace, who’s won all over the globe, could well be in the mix on Sunday.
