Crowd pleaser
Matsuyama fires a sizzling 63 to share fourth spot
THERE was a sizeable crowd following Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and the world No. 3 did not disappoint them.
He shot a sizzling bogey-free nine-under 63 in the third round of the CIMB Classic at the TPC Kuala Lumpur yesterday to be tied for fourth with American Keegan Bradley on a 15-under 201 total.
Matsuyama’s 63 was the best round of the day and he was clearly satisfied.
“I knew the guys atop the leaderboard were going to extend their lead and I was hoping to get to 12 or 15-under at the start of the day.
“I might have left a couple out there. There were a couple of shorter putts which I wasn’t able to convert. But overall I’m very happy with the round I played today (yesterday).
“I’ll just go home, get some rest and tee it up tomorrow (today) and do my very best,” said the 25-yearold.
Matsuyama, last year’s runner-up, is not too optimistic about catching the leader Pat Perez of the United States.
Perez maintained his hot pace with an eight-under 64 to lead the rest of the field by four shots on 21-under 195.
“The way Pat is playing, I don’t know if he can be caught,” answered Matsuyama, who opted to play in the CIMB Classic and not defend his Japan Open crown, which is also taking place this week.
India’s Anirban Lahiri also had a flawlesss round yesterday.
Anirban signed off the third round with an eight-under 64 to lie sixth on 12-under 204.
“I think I was pretty solid. The bad shots that I hit, I think I missed it in the right places and managed to get away with it, so I’m very happy. To go bogey-free is important, and after yesterday’s disappointment, it was important for me to try and get a little closer to give myself a run on Sunday (today),” said Lahiri, who hit a one-over 73 in the second round on Friday.
Asked if he is still in contention for the title, Lahiri said the winning score is definitely 20-under.
“I’m at 12-under, so I’ll have to do at least what I did today or bet- ter to have a chance, but at least I’ll have a chance.
“If I were seven or eight under going into tomorrow (today), I don’t think I’d have a chance,” said Anirban, who finished third here last year.