Kuala Lumpur: Tiger Woods will aim to make a winning return to his old hunting ground as he headlines a star-studded field at the US$6.1 million CIMB Classic this October 25-28.
The world number two, who captivated the local golfing fraternity with a victorious display during the World Cup of Golf thirteen years ago at The Mines Resort & Golf Club, has given the nod to make his début in the PGA Tour and Asian Tour co-sanctioned tournament at the same venue. Past champions Bo Van Pelt and Ben Crane have also committed their participation at the event.
“I look forward to coming out to Malaysia at the end of October. I played the World Cup in 1999 and have fond memories of the country and its people. I’ve heard that CIMB does a good job staging the event. It has traditionally boasted a strong field and I look forward to being part of it this year,” said Woods in a pre-recorded video screened during a press call in Putrajaya on Monday.
The limited-field 48-player exhibition will once again feature the top 30 available players from the final FedEx Cup 2012 rankings, the top ten players from the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit and eight sponsor exemptions, of which two will be reserved for Malaysians.
The domestic slots will go to the highest ranked Malaysian in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and the winner of a national qualifying tournament to be organised by the Professional Golfers Association of Malaysia (PGAM).
Title sponsor CIMB Group also announced some major revamps to the tournament itself, with the championship being rebranded the CIMB Classic to reflect its elevated status next year when it will become an official Money Event on the PGA Tour, contributing points towards the FedEx Cup rankings as part of the revised 2013-2014 PGA Tour schedule.
The 2013 event will replicate the successful World Golf Championship (WGC) format with a minimum of 78 players, with the prize purse rising to US$7 million under a new five-year agreement signed directly between CIMB Group and the PGA Tour. The agreement will also see the tournament being managed and operated by the Championship Management division of the PGA Tour under the watchful supervision of Todd Rhinehart, the former executive director of the flagship Tour Championship by Coca Cola.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to bring the CIMB Classic back this year,” said CIMB Group group chief executive Dato’ Sri Nazir Razak. “The early confirmations will give this year’s event great early momentum. Bo [Van Pelt] and Ben [Crane] have developed a good local following and Tiger [Woods] will be a huge draw, especially given his ASEAN roots.
“The plan has always been to become a full-fledged event on the PGA Tour, as envisaged by our Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak, so this is fantastic news for us, for Malaysia and for the region,” said Nazir, who advised golf fans around the region to “save the dates for a great episode of the CIMB Classic”.
PGA Tour chairman Tim Finchem congratulated CIMB Group and the nation of Malaysia on the tournament’s elevated status in a special message. “In just two years, the CIMB Classic has become an important part of the PGA Tour schedule and we are excited that this relationship has been extended for an additional five years. The tournament will continue to grow in stature as it becomes an official event of the FedEx Cup in our 2013-2014 season.”
