This article is part of our PGA Tour Stats Review series.
The PGA Tour moves to Malaysia for the CIMB Classic this week, where Justin Thomas is the defending champion.
Safeway Transfers
This is a weird field in that it's a PGA Tour event yet also limited field with several Asian Tour members mixed in, but it does have a nice overall feel. It is led by Thomas, who is a pick this week not only for his experience but for his play in Napa.
Thomas finished eighth, making runs on Saturday and Sunday toward the lead but not able to make quite enough birdies to close in on eventual winner Brendan Steele. For the week he ranked fifth in SG-approach-to-the-green and 22nd in SG-putting.
Also, a pick who showed good form last week includes Paul Casey, who finished T3, ranking 13th in SG-approach-to-the-green, third in SG-around-the-green, 29th in SG-putting and first in SG-tee-to-green, and is bound to win before 2016 is over. His game is really solid top to bottom.
Tony Finau told Golf Channel's Tim Rosaforte he's working with Jason Day on the mental side of things – namely becoming more consistent – which can't be a bad thing. He tied for 26th and ranked fifth in SG-off-the-tee and eighth in SG-around-the0green, showing his driving prowess but also his short game touch. With advice from the best we wouldn't be surprised to see Finau get his second win in the 2016-17 season.
And finally, Scott Piercy tied for third, finishing seventh in SG-off-the-tee, 11th in SG-approach-to-the-green and 18th in
The PGA Tour moves to Malaysia for the CIMB Classic this week, where Justin Thomas is the defending champion.
Safeway Transfers
This is a weird field in that it's a PGA Tour event yet also limited field with several Asian Tour members mixed in, but it does have a nice overall feel. It is led by Thomas, who is a pick this week not only for his experience but for his play in Napa.
Thomas finished eighth, making runs on Saturday and Sunday toward the lead but not able to make quite enough birdies to close in on eventual winner Brendan Steele. For the week he ranked fifth in SG-approach-to-the-green and 22nd in SG-putting.
Also, a pick who showed good form last week includes Paul Casey, who finished T3, ranking 13th in SG-approach-to-the-green, third in SG-around-the-green, 29th in SG-putting and first in SG-tee-to-green, and is bound to win before 2016 is over. His game is really solid top to bottom.
Tony Finau told Golf Channel's Tim Rosaforte he's working with Jason Day on the mental side of things – namely becoming more consistent – which can't be a bad thing. He tied for 26th and ranked fifth in SG-off-the-tee and eighth in SG-around-the0green, showing his driving prowess but also his short game touch. With advice from the best we wouldn't be surprised to see Finau get his second win in the 2016-17 season.
And finally, Scott Piercy tied for third, finishing seventh in SG-off-the-tee, 11th in SG-approach-to-the-green and 18th in SG-putting. He doesn't attract a lot of headlines but is a nice fantasy pick for this week.
Also in the field:
Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott are playing this week, along with Ryder Cup hero Patrick Reed, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Ian Poulter (making his PGA Tour return from injury), Vijay Singh, Ryan Moore, Danny Lee, Kevin Chappell, Ernie Els, Harold Varner III and more.
Picks for the CIMB
Our picks this week are Garcia, Reed, Moore and Chappell.
Garcia and Reed you know, both of whom played insanely good at the Ryder Cup, Sergio shooting a 63 in halving that epic Sunday singles match with Phil Mickelson and Reed putting on an emotional show for the ages paired with Jordan Spieth and individually up against Rory McIlroy.
Garcia was fourth in SG-off-the-tee and ninth in SG-tee-to-green last season.
Reed, meanwhile, was eighth in SG-around-the-green and 40th in SG-putting last season. Not flashy, but he's certainly on a high now.
Moore clinched the Ryder Cup for the U.S. and was the last guy in, on the backs of a Tour Championship where he made virtually everything down the stretch in both regulation and the playoff against Rory McIlroy. He was second that week in SG-putting along with being second in SG-approach-to-the-green.
Ask anyone who watches golf and they'll tell you that Chappell is overdue for his first win and destined to get it soon. He nearly won at the Deutsche Bank Championship on Labor Day Weekend where he tied for eighth and was the other member of that Tour Championship playoff. For the season he ranked 13th in SG-tee-to-green.
The Weather
The weather in Kuala Lumpur this time of year is usually hot and steamy and 2016 will be no different, with temperatures in the low 90s, sunny skies, light winds and a slight chance of thunderstorms.
