Van Pelt wins CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia title

KUALA LUMPUR: Bo Van Pelt won the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia golf title with a tournament record total of 23-under 284 at the Mines Resort and Golf Club here on Sunday.

The 36-year-old American carded a final round 64 to win by six strokes from second-placed American Jeff Overton. Overton carded a final round 69. Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson carded a final round 68 to finish third with a 16-under total.

Local ace Danny Chia carded a final round 70 to finish joint 13th on 12-under 284. Danny took home about US$85,000 - the biggest pay cheque of his career thus far.

Van Pelt was two-under at the turn on Sunday and went three shots clear after Overton bogeyed the 12th and 13th holes. He pulled away from the hapless Overton with three birdies on the trot from Holes 13 to 15 for the 23-under total. American Ben Crane won the inaugural event last year with a 18-under 284.

Van Pelt pocketed US$1.3mil for the victory. Although Overton failed to mount a strong challenge, he still walked away with US$550,000 for second place. Former Asian Tour No. 1 Jeev Milkha Singh of India was the best placed Asian finisher. He carded a final round of five-under 66 for a share of 10th spot with a 13-under total. 

Results 

261: Bo Van Pelt (US) 66-64-67-64;

267: Jeff Overton (US) 67-62-69-69; 

268: Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 65-64-71-68;

269: Camilo Villegas (Col) 69-66-68-66, Cameron Tringale (US) 66-68-71-64, Mark Wilson (US) 67- 66-67-69;

270: Vijay Singh (Fij) 72-64-66-68, John Senden (Aus) 67-70-68-65, Ryan Palmer (US) 71-65-67-67;

271: Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 69-69-67-66, Jerry Kelly (US) 69-66-69-67, Jason Dufner (US) 70-67-65-69;

272: Brandt Snedeker (US) 71-68-67-66, Robert Allenby (Aus) 63-72-70-67, Stewart Cink (US) 67-66-71-68, Jimmy Walker (US) 66-67-71-68, Chris Kirk (US) 71-65-67-69, Danny Chia (Mas) 71-65-66 -70; 

273: Ricky Barnes (US) 69-71-66-67;

274: Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha) 70-67-72-65, Jonathan Byrd (US) 69-68-69-68, Ben Crane (US) 69-68-68-69;

275: Tommy Gainey (US) 68-70-70-67, Spencer Levin (US) 70-67-72-66, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 64-69-72-70; 

276: Kyle Stanley (US) 68-69-72-67, Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 68-71-68-69; 

277: Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 68-70-73-66, Jbe Kruger (Rsa) 70-70-72-65, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 70-66-72-69; 

278: Stuart Appleby (Aus) 72-67-71-68, Brendon De Jonge (Zim) 68-72-70-68, Scott Stallings (US) 67-72-70-69, Chez Reavie (US) 69-71-67-71;

279: D.A. Points (US) 71-68-71-69, David Gleeson (Aus) 73-71-70-65;

280: Carl Pettersson (Swe) 68-67-78-67, Brian Davis (Eng) 71-71-71-67, Lucas Glover (US) 71-70-71-68, Mohd Siddikur (Ban) 68-73-68-71;

281: Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn) 70-72-72-67; 

286: Brendan Steele (US) 74-73-70-69, Charley Hoffman (US) 69-73-75-69;

288: Chan Yih-shin (Tpe) 72-70-74-72;

291: Angel Cabrera (Arg) 73-73-69-76, Shaaban Hussin (Mas) 72-72-75-72;

293: S.S.P. Chowrasia (Ind) 75-71-74-73.

-thestar online.