World No.3 golfer Matsuyama to compete at CIMB Classic

World No.3 Hideki Matsuyama has committed to play in the CIMB Classic next week, ensuring for the first time two top-five ranked golfers headlining the $7 million PGA Tour tournament in Malaysia, it was announced on Monday.

Two-time defending champion and World No.4 Justin Thomas, who is also the newly crowned FedExCup champion, has already confirmed his title defence at TPC Kuala Lumpur from October 12 to 15.

The 25-year-old Japanese Matsuyama has been one of the top performers on the global stage where he has won six times over the past 12 months, including two World Golf Championships tournaments, as well as posting two top-fives in the majors at the US Open and PGA Championship this season.

Matsuyama featured in his first CIMB Classic in 2013 on a sponsor's invitation and has come close to winning where he finished T5 in 2015 and second last year behind Thomas.

Tengku Dato' Sri Zafrul Aziz, Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Hideki Matsuyama back to the CIMB Classic. Since playing in our event as a sponsor's exemption in 2013, Hideki's career has been on a sharp rise with multiple victories achieved on the PGA TOUR and at home in Japan over the past year.

"Golf fans will be in for a world-class treat as Hideki has an impressive track record at TPC Kuala Lumpur which clearly suits his game. It'll be fun to see if he can deny Justin Thomas a third successive victory at the CIMB Classic.

Next week's CIMB Classic will include nine Major champions, 10 Presidents Cup team members, 15 players from the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and 18 winners from the recent PGA TOUR's 2016-17 season.

--IANS

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