Ripe for the picking
CIMB CLASSIC: Perfect TPC course sees champ Thomas in share of lead
JUSTIN Thomas had never seen the TPC Kuala Lumpur course so ready for the taking as the defending CIMB Classic champion fired nine birdies in joining major winner Keegan Bradley and littleknown Derek Fathauer for the first round lead yesterday.
Thomas, whose win here last year remains his only success on the US PGA Tour, rolled in the birdies for fun despite a bogey on the par-four sixth for an eight-under 64.
“If there’s such a thing as an easy eight-under, it was. I wedged it great,” said Thomas. “I took advantage of the first three par-fives.
“I just hit a terrible three-putt on the first par-five, No 3. But just kind of went along my business. I was just very comfortable and I hit it in there close a couple times and made a couple putts but it was a pretty lowstress day.”
Returning to the scene of his greatest success, Thomas said he felt a sense of familiarity which allowed him to play as he did.
“I’ve never had the opportunity to defend before and the only other time I’ve won professionally was the Web.com Tour (in 2014) and I wasn’t there the next year,” said World No 35 Thomas.
“So it’s cool. It’s fun being back. But it’s only the first day. Obviously I have good memories here after the last day (in 2015).
“There’s some spots where we had a lot of similar pins to Sunday last year. But I’m just more focused on the day.”
Fellow Americans Fathauer and Bradley, the 2011 US PGA Championship winner, took advantage of the benign conditions to join Thomas on 64.
Another American, Paul Casey was in fourth place a stroke behind on 65 while India’s Anirban Lahiri rued two closing bogeys which denied him a share of the lead as he settled for 66 and fifth.
Spain’s Sergio Garcia birdied the 17th and 18th holes in his 67, good for sixth alongside Australian Aaron Baddeley and Americans Brian Harman and Brendan Steele, the latter looking to back up his win at the Safeway Open in California last Sunday.
Bradley, the 2011 US PGA Championship winner, started with six birdies on the front nine before adding three more birdies coming home against two bogeys as he sought his first win on Tour since the 2012 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
“You’re going to have to shoot low rounds every day,” said Bradley when asked if he stood a chance of winning come Sunday.
“The course is in such good shape and the greens are so good, you’re going to make a lot of birdies. This is a great start.”
Garcia outduelled his American playing partners Patrick Reed (68) and 2013 and 2014 CIMB Classic winner Ryan Moore (71) as the Ryder Cup trio were reunited for the first time since the United States beat Europe 17-11 on Oct 2.
“I played with them plenty. It feels like I played with Patrick every other week this year,” said Garcia. “With Ryan, I’ve also played quite a bit this year.
“I like them both. They are great guys. They are playing well. Obviously Ryan didn’t have the best of days but Patrick came back after the double (on the 12th).”
World No 6 Adam Scott, the highest-ranked player in the field, opened with a 70, level with South African Ernie Els, while three-time major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji was one stroke behind.