Ryan Moore of the US sank a birdie putt after a “perfect” approach shot on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to win the US$7 million CIMB Classic in Malaysia yesterday for his third career win on the PGA Tour.
The 30-year-old finished tied with compatriot Gary Woodland on 14-under on Sunday, but had to wait overnight for the playoff after thunderstorms delayed the final round for more than three hours.
Moore said the adrenaline rush he got from earning his place in the playoff by saving par at the final hole in near darkness on Sunday had carried him through the shootout.
Photo: AFP
While Woodland found the rough with his second shot on the par-five 18th, Moore’s approach shot took him to within three feet of the hole and he nervelessly sank the putt to earn a check for US$1.26 million.
“Playing a playoff with someone like Gary, I know I don’t want it to last very long,” the world No. 45 said. “I had a great opportunity there on 18 with my third shot and it was just an absolute perfect number. It was 158 yards, a little bit back up the hill, so for me that was just a perfect slightly choked down full eight-iron.”
Woodland would have won his third PGA Tour title if he had not missed a birdie putt by centimeters on the final hole of his fourth round on Sunday.
“It was tough. It was a long hole, and Ryan hit a great shot in there and obviously made a good birdie, but I thought I hit a pretty good shot on the third, just obviously coming out of the rough, I would have liked to have been in the fairway, came out of the rough and came up a little short,” the 29-year-old said.
Moore’s two previous PGA Tour wins came at the Wyndham Championship in 2009, which he also won in a playoff, and at last year’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in his home town of Las Vegas.
The CIMB Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, was added to the PGA Tour schedule for the first time this year.
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