Leishman Wins 2018 CIMB Classic

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – For the second week of the 2018-2019 PGA Tour season, a diverse group of the world’s top players headed to TPC Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia for the CIMB Classic.  Justin Thomas was the defending champ in a field that featured players looking to build on their recent good play like Bronson Burgoon, Kyle Stanley, and Abraham Ancer, as well as top Asian players like Shubhankar Sharma, Si Woo Kim, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.  

At the end of a week where scores in the mid 60s were the norm, Marc Leishman was the man holding the trophy.  Come Sunday, nobody was realistically able to challenge Leishman for the lead. He entered the day tied for first with Sharma and Gary Woodland.   After shooting 68-62-67 in the first three rounds, he kept his foot on the gas Sunday, shooting 65 to finish five shots ahead of Emiliano Grillo, Chesson Hadley, and Bronson Burgoon. 

This victory marked the 34-year-old Australian’s fourth career PGA Tour victory.  Leishman’s -26 262 was good enough to tie Justin Thomas’ tournament record-setting mark from 2015.  His Friday 62 was the low round of the week. The big Aussie had every facet of his game working this week, and the putter was especially solid.  After going -4 through the first five holes of his final round, Leishman virtually waltzed to victory with a solid -2 back nine, following up a bogey on 13 with clutch birdies on 16 and 18.

Other notable finishes included former back-to-back champion Justin Thomas, who shot 64 on Sunday to climb into a tie for fifth at -20.  Fellow PGA Tour Rookie of the Year winners Emiliano Grillo (2016) and Chesson Hadley (2014) both shot 66 on Sunday to finish T2 at -21. And after shooting 67-64-66 to begin the week, Shubhankar Sharma shot a disappointing final round 72 to stay at -19 for the week and drop down to T-10.

Next week, the PGA Tour moves on to the second of the three events on its early season Asian swing at the CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in Jeju Island, South Korea.  Justin Thomas will defend the title of South Korea’s first official PGA Tour tournament, which is in its second year. Other notable players in the field include 2018 Player of the Year Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, and Korean stars like Si Woo Kim and recent Web.com graduate and Jeju Island native Sungjae Im.

Marc Leishman WITB:

Driver: Callaway Rogue 9 Degree (Fujikura Speeder 757 Evolution IV X-Flex)

3 Wood: Callaway Rogue Sub-Zero 15 Degree (Fujikura Motore Speeder VC Tour Spec 9.2X)

Driving Irons: Callaway X-Forged UT 18 Degree and 21 Degree (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X

Irons: Callaway X-Forged 4-PW (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X)

Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy Forged 54 Degree and Titleist Vokey SM7 58 Degree (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 130X)

Putter: Odyssey Versa 1W (BWB)

Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X