KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- American golfer Ryan Moore birdied the first hole of a play-off with compatriot, Gary Woodland to win the CIMB Classic after an overnight wait due to lightning and heavy rain.
"Playing a play-off with someone like Gary Woodland, I know I don't want it to last very long. I had a great opportunity there on the 18th hole with my third shot and it was just an absolutely perfect number," said Moore in a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in Bukit Kiara, here Monday.
For the feat, Moore received USD1.26 million (about RM3.95 million) and the prestigious trophy from Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. While the competition's runner-up, Woodland pocketted USD756,000 (about RM2.37 million). The CIMB Classic was a co-sanctioned event by the US PGA Tour and the Asian Tour.
In Monday's play-off, the 31-year-old Moore made a five-foot birdie putt on par-five 18th hole after Woodland was short with his chip from just off the green.
Moore and Woodland finished at 14-under 274 after 72 holes on Sunday with darkness descending on the West Course of the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, forcing the play-off to be postponed until Monday morning.
The tournament was an official PGA Tour event for the first time. Moore received a two-year PGA TOUR exemption and a spot in the Masters.
"I've enjoyed it. I would come back every year. It was just the birth of my first child that stopped me from coming. It's been just a great week. Now (the competition) is a full FedEx Cup event and count as a win in the PGA Tour, it does so much for you.
"To get a win this early in the season, it is just incredible...to be able to jump up, get some FedEX Cup point racked up. I think you're going to see guys over the years, just better and better fields coming over here," said Moore.
Meanwhile Woodland, who was chasing his third PGA Tour title, was disappointed as he came up short against Moore after both players ended regulation play on 14-under-par 278.
"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, but came up a little short," said the 29-year-old who joined the PGA Tour in 2009.
He noted that he would not have hit his birdie putt any differently on the 72nd hole during the final round Sunday which would have sealed victory for him.
One of the longest hitters on the Tour, Woodland took the safety first approach in the play-off with a long iron off the tee but pushed his second shot into the rough and from there, he struggled home as Moore cruised to victory.
"I didn't think I could cover the bunkers this morning, especially where that pin was. If the pin was up front, we probably would have been a little more aggressive, but with the pin in the back I didn't want to leave it short of the bunker and have a tough third shot. We decided to lay up and tried to hit a good wedge in there," he said.
-bernama.
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