CIMB Classic: Power ranking the top 10 at TPC Kuala Lumpur

The PGA Tour’s Asian Swing is broken up this year. It begins this week with the CIMB Classic in Malaysia.

Once upon a time, the PGA Tour rarely, if ever, left the climes of the United States. Now, it’s spread its arms across the globe. That reach has brought us this week’s tournament, the CIMB Classic. This event has been held at TPC Kuala Lumpur since its inaugural run in 2010.

The West Course measures 7,005 yards and plays to a par 72. The fairways are wide and soft and don’t require driver too often, making this a second shot course. It’s one of the Tour’s easiest courses with plenty of eagles surrendered on the four par-5s.

Players will have a lot of wedges in hand, so short distance proximity and par-breakers are some stats to keep an eye on.

There are a lot of elevation changes on the course as well.

Players will be learning new Tiffeagle Bermuda greens with Celebration Bermuda in the fairways and tee boxes. Some holes have been lengthened and some bunkers and faiways have been modified.

It still projects to be a relatively easier test, but the new changes could keep it from being a laugher. Five of eight editions have seen the winner reach 20-under or lower.

Remember, this is a 78-player, no cut event.

It will likely be whoever wedges it and putts it best who wins this week. I also see some value in those who rested last week to give themselves time to adjust to the time change. For those on the U.S. East Coast, TPC Kuala Lumpur is 12 hours ahead on the clock.

That said, there are some names who played well at the Safeway Open that I will give a shot here.

Justin Thomas is going for his third CIMB Classic win and is by far the tournament headliner. There are some other household names in the field due to this week and the next being guaranteed money events, but this time of the year is basically the offseason for the world’s best.

The beat goes on for golf junkies, though. Let’s take a look at what we have on our hands this week.