Your winner and still CIMB Classic champion: Ryan Moore
Ryan Moore must have felt like his clock didn’t go back an hour on early Sunday morning, but instead a year. That’s because Moore cruised to a successful defense of the CIMB Classic title he won a year ago, winning by three shots over last year’s playoff adversary Gary Woodland, as well Kevin Na and Sergio Garcia.
Moore closed with 5-under 67 at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club for the win, which made him the first player since Tiger Woods at the 2012 and 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational to defend a PGA Tour title.
“I like to tell myself all the time that `I am a closer. Let’s just do what we can, hit good shots and let’s close this thing’ and I was able to do that,” Moore said afterward.
Woodland made a run at swapping his 2013 finishing position with Moore, jumping into contention with six birdies in the first 15 holes. However, critical birdie misses in the final three holes, as well as three-putt bogey at the last, cost him the title.
Na had a two-shot lead on the back nine, but had lost it by the 16th hole, where he had a 2-footer for birdie. Distracted by cameramen, Na backed off the putt. Then when he did stroke it, he missed. On the next hole, Na’s tee shot landed in a tree and could not be identified. He returned to re-tee his ball, made double bogey and lost his chance.
A palm tree also got Garcia, but on the 10th hole, which dropped him out of serious contention.
Moore’s fourth PGA Tour win marks just the second time since his last win here that he finished in the top five, the other being the Travelers Championship last June.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
