Danny qualifies for CIMB Classic after play-off victory

28 Jul 2017 / 20:25 H.
    Danny qualifies for CIMB Classic after play-off victory
    (L-R):Todd Rhinehart, Vice President & Executive Director, PGA TOUR; Effendy Shahul Hamid, Chief Executive Officer, Group Asset Management & Investments, CIMB; Danny Chia, winner of CIMB National Championship 2017 and Valrick Harris Zainal Abidin, President, PGA of Malaysia at the prize presentation ceremony at TPC Kuala Lumpur. Danny Chia will play at the CIMB Classic 2017, alongside the world’s professional golfers on 12 – 15 October 2017.

KUALA LUMPUR: Veteran Danny Chia secured his sixth appearance at the prestigious CIMB Classic after defeating rising star Gavin Green with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off at the CIMB National Championship today.

Overnight leader Chia battled to a final round of 3-under 69 at TPC Kuala Lumpur after overcoming an early triple bogey with eight birdies for a tournament aggregate of 8-under 280.

Trailing by three at the start of the day, Green forced a playoff with a glorious 66 highlighted by seven birdies. After both players shot pars in the first extra hole at the par five 18th hole, Chia then claimed his third success at the qualifying tournament for the CIMB Classic with a birdie from six feet.

"Today was by far the hardest event that I had to fight back. Getting into the CIMB Classic again is great, and winning this event, beating Gavin in a play-off is very satisfying. I made it very hard for myself," Danny said.

"Straight off the second hole, I made a triple bogey there and for some reason it always happens to me. It's happened so many times that it wasn't hard for me to come back from it. After the triple, I told myself 'let's play like it's match play' and let's try to beat Ben Leong and Amir (Nazrin) on every hole and see what happens. It worked out well for me and I'm really pleased with that," he added.
With the CIMB National Championship, previously known as the SapuraKencana National Classic, offering a coveted spot in October's CIMB Classic only to the winner, the 23-year-old Green will take heart that he will likely earn a spot in the PGA TOUR tournament through the Asian Tour's Order of Merit.

Currently fourth on the money rankings, Green needs to remain in the top-10 as of Oct 9 to qualify for the CIMB Classic for the second successive year. The highest ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Ranking as of Oct 2 will also earn a spot in the CIMB Classic.

"I've missed so many putts this whole week which was annoying as I was hitting it good. It was a close fight to get into a play-off, third time in a row – last year in the Asian Development Tour, last year here with Ben and now today," Green said.

"I had looks for birdies on both the playoff holes. Didn't have a good lie on both the approach shots but I gave myself looks. Danny won it with a birdie, he played solid the whole week. He made the putt to win," Green added.

Rookie professional Amir Nazrin Jailani finished a creditable third after signing off with a 69, which included a missed birdie attempt at the 18th hole which would have put him into the playoff while Ben Leong, who held a one-shot lead at the turn, settled for fourth position following a 70 to finish two back of the playoff duo.
Leading final round scores:
280: Gavin Green 72-70-72-66, *Danny Chia 68-70-73-69 (Chia won with a birdie on the second playoff hole)
281: Amir Nazrin Jailani 69-71-72-69
282: Ben Leong 65-76-71-70
283: Sukree Othman 70-69-76-68
288: Wilson Choo 69-71-74-74

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