European Tour: Maybank Championship power rankings

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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – FEBRUARY 12: Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay celebrates with the Maybank Championship trophy after winning by 19 under par, 269 during Day Four of the Maybank Championship Malaysia at Saujana Golf and Country Club on February 12, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Stanley Chou/Getty Images) /

Fabrizio Zanotti had perhaps his best year on the European Tour in 2017. He won the Maybank Championship for his second career victory and earned a pair of third-place finishes.

The 34-year-old Paraguyan is now inside the top 100 in the world and can sniff the top 50 with a title defense this week.

Last year, Zanotti matched the low round of the tournament, a nine-under 63, on Sunday to surge for a one-shot victory over David Lipsky. Zanotti’s eagle on the par-5 18th made for one of the more thrilling finishes all season on the European Tour.

He began the day six shots off the lead.

“I think it was probably the best round of my career, so I’m very happy,” Zanotti told the European Tour. “It was a really good day, a really good week and I’m really happy.”

Zanotti comes in off of a missed cut at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but it could be worse: he entered off three missed cuts last year.

Besides, Zanotti has a T9 to his name the week before in Abu Dhabi.

At 7,186 yards, Saujana is not overly long, which suits Zanotti just fine. He was top 40 in fairways last season and had no trouble tackling the par-5’s last year and that will be his game plan again.

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