FURTHER AHEAD
American fires nine birdies to extend CIMB Classic lead
FARAH AZHARIE AND NAQIB NOR SAID nstsport@nst.com.my SOUTH Korean Kim Meen Whee won a brand new BMW 740LE Hybrid when he scored a holein-one in the CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Making his debut in the CIMB Classic, he scored his ace on the par-three 15th hole.
Meen Whee, 25, lined up a powerful 182-metre tee-shot when he was two-under after just five holes.
“That’s my first hole-in-one ever in any tournament. So, it’s pretty exciting.
“That was like the perfect yardage, 207, and the cover on the front edge was like 191, so I just hit smooth five-iron and form which saw him extend his lead to four shots at the CIMB Classic at TPC Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Perez, who started the day with a one-stroke lead, obliterated the course with nine birdies to drown out the sole bogey on the 13th for a 64.
The 41-year-old, whose best landed perfect and thought, oh, made it, it’s going in,” he said.
But Meen Whee will have to settle for the car as he closed his round at 71 following two consecutive finishing at the CIMB Classic was in 2012 (ninth place), credited his wife, Ashley, coach Drew Steckel and caddy Mike Hartford for helping him in his golf career.
”My coach Drew, my caddy H are the greatest ones out there and in the camp around me, things have been unbelievable. bogeys on the sixth and seventh to end at one-under-par 214 and joint 51st with America’s Scott Stallings, Charles Howell III and Kevin Na, and Adam Hadwin of Canada.
“And my wife is the best supporter, she’s unbelievable and my whole circle in life is really good right now, it’s carrying over into everything.”
Perez now holds the CIMB Classic record for the lowest opening 54-holes at 21-underpar 195, which trumps Brendan Steele and Justin Thomas’ record of 20-under-par 196.
Trailing Perez is Xander Schauffele, one of the three
“I bought a new place in Dallas, so, I was going to buy another car.
“I was looking for a car and I think I got a good one,” said Meen Whee. rookies to ever win twice on the PGA Tour since 2000 (Greenbrier Classic and Tour Championship for season 2016/2017). He closed his round with a 67 following an eagle on the 10th.
Schauffele, 24, said it was a joy to see flightmates Perez (eight-under-par) and South Korea’s Kang Sung-Hoon (seven-under-par) scoring the way they do.
“It’s fun. You would much rather have the group chasing forward up the leaderboard than kind of stagnant. So it’s all good, you know, watching both those guys make putts is always a good thing, visually for me.”