NOT only will the CIMB Classic welcome World No 3 Sergio Garcia of Spain and 2014 FedExCup champion Billy Horschel of America but also China prodigy Guan Tianlang to the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) next month.
Tianlang, 15, is considered one of the world’s best amateurs and will play in the Oct 30-Nov 2 CIMB Classic under a sponsor’s invite.
Tianlang made global headlines when he became the youngest ever player to play and make the cut at last year’s Masters Tournament, earning rave reviews along the way.
Also confirmed besides Garcia, who had three runner-up finishes in the 2013-14 PGA season, and Horschel — who welcomed his first child just days after winning the US$10 million (RM32 million) FedExCup bonus — is defending champion Ryan Moore (US).
Lee Westwood (England), who won the Malaysian Open this year, and American Ryder Cup players Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed will also be in the field.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Ishikawa have also confirmed entry for the 78-player elite field, comprising 60 from the PGA Tour, 10 from the Asian Tour and eight sponsor’s exemptions.
“In just five years, the CIMB Classic has taken its place among the largest tournaments in the world and the stage is once again set for some world-class golf,” said Effendy Shahul Hamid, group chief marketing and communications officer of CIMB Group.
“If these early commitments are anything to go by, come October, Malaysia will once again showcase a stellar collection of the best players from across the globe.”