PGA First Look: CIMB Classic
The PGA First Look is complete with a course preview, odds, salaries, Official World Golf Rankings, and course history.
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Event Preview
The PGA Tour makes a quick trip to Malaysia this week for the CIMB Classic. Seeing as how this is basically known as the Justin Thomas Classic, I thought I’d check his Twitter out before the event. It looks like it only took him 28 hours and 17 minutes to get from his home in Florida to his hotel in Malaysia. If you don’t think travel will play a role this week, just think of how you feel after a three hour flight across the country. Now, why is this event also known as the JT Classic? He won here in 2015 and defended his title in 2016. In the two year stretch, he’s gone a ridiculous 49-under par. If you like watching the majors to see golfers struggle, then you probably won’t want to turn on this event. For me, I don’t mind a birdie-fest every now and then, especially since we can sweat some golf in the middle of the night. Whether you watch the tournament or not, you will want to set your lineups early, as leagues will lock on Wednesday night instead of early Thursday morning.
TPC Kuala Lumpur (West) is one of the easiest courses on the PGA Tour. It is a short Par 72 that barely stretches over 7,000 yards. To put that into perspective, some of the Par 72 courses that the players saw last season measured over 7,600 yards. Distance off the tee is not required here and many golfers will keep their driver in the bag on a lot of holes. There are landing areas that golfers will hit to off the tee, which leads to similar length approach shots. As long as you aren’t terrible, you won’t be losing many strokes off the tee. This is a second shot course, so focusing on approach shots and proximity will be key. There are four par fives that the golfers will eat alive. We have seen a TON of eagles at this event in the last four years, which are going to impact scoring on DraftKings this week. I should also note that this is no-cut event, so all golfers are guaranteed to play four rounds. You obviously want to target scorers in these types of events.
I typically have a little bit more to breakdown, but it’s pretty straightforward this week. It’s basically going to come down to a wedge and putting contest (two areas where JT and Moore exceed). Speaking of putting, the greens here are seashore paspalum grass and they are very slow. In general, slower greens tend to equalize putting a bit, which helps out guys like Keegan Bradley and Hideki Matsuyama. If you are playing tournaments this week, there are two routes to take to create some leverage on the field. You can pivot off of some of the chalky plays (Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Graham DeLaet, etc.) or you can leave salary on the table and hope that it creates a unique roster construction.
Cut Rule:No cut this week. All golfers will play four rounds barring a withdrawal.
Recent Winners of this Event:Justin Thomas (2016 & 2015), Ryan Moore (2014 & 2013)
Key Statistics (In Order of Importance)
1) Strokes Gained Approach
2) Birdie or Better %
3) Par 5 Scoring
4) Proximity
5) Par 4 Scoring
Salaries, Odds, and Course History (2013-2016)
| Golfer | DK Salary | FD Salary | FDRFT Salary | OWGR | Odds | DK Odds | FD Odds | FDRFT Odds | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Thomas | $12,300 | $10,500 | $21,000 | 4 | 4 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1 | 1 | 500 | 500 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | $11,200 | $9,900 | $19,100 | 3 | 9 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2 | 5 | 21 | 25 |
| Paul Casey | $10,500 | $9,500 | $18,400 | 14 | 11 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 21 | 24 | 37 | 500 |
| Charl Schwartzel | $9,800 | $8,100 | $16,500 | 28 | 27 | -25% | 44% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 19 | 500 |
| Xander Schauffele | $9,700 | $8,200 | $16,700 | 32 | 23 | 20% | 50% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Branden Grace | $9,200 | $8,700 | $16,200 | 44 | 33 | -100% | -140% | -20% | 33 | 17 | 500 | 500 |
| Pat Perez | $9,000 | $7,600 | $15,700 | 31 | 38 | -100% | -8% | 18% | 33 | 63 | 33 | 500 |
| Ian Poulter | $8,900 | $7,100 | $16,400 | 54 | 29 | 0% | 53% | -14% | 17 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Gary Woodland | $8,700 | $7,900 | $16,400 | 48 | 29 | 0% | 18% | -29% | 56 | 56 | 2 | 2 |
| Thomas Pieters | $8,600 | $8,000 | $16,200 | 33 | 33 | -10% | -10% | -10% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Scott Piercy | $8,500 | $5,800 | $15,800 | 84 | 40 | -55% | 51% | -13% | 10 | 7 | 500 | 500 |
| Cameron Smith | $8,400 | $5,700 | $15,200 | 151 | 50 | -75% | 45% | -5% | 500 | 37 | 5 | 500 |
| Brendan Steele | $8,300 | $8,400 | $16,400 | 47 | 28 | 54% | 14% | 14% | 26 | 3 | 500 | 25 |
| Kevin Na | $8,200 | $7,100 | $16,200 | 69 | 32 | 29% | 41% | 0% | 29 | 3 | 2 | 500 |
| Anirban Lahiri | $8,200 | $5,600 | $16,500 | 68 | 28 | 50% | 83% | -40% | 3 | 21 | 52 | 35 |
| Grayson Murray | $8,100 | $6,800 | $15,200 | 90 | 51 | -50% | -4% | -20% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Russell Knox | $8,100 | $6,400 | $15,200 | 61 | 50 | -44% | 15% | -15% | 10 | 21 | 500 | 500 |
| Ollie Schniederjans | $8,000 | $7,300 | $15,200 | 109 | 50 | -22% | -57% | -10% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jason Dufner | $7,900 | $8,800 | $15,200 | 35 | 49 | -5% | -400% | 0% | 500 | 35 | 26 | 500 |
| Emiliano Grillo | $7,800 | $6,700 | $15,000 | 60 | 52 | -30% | -8% | 0% | 17 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Peter Uihlein | $7,700 | $6,200 | $15,100 | 74 | 52 | -19% | 14% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Luke List | $7,600 | $5,300 | $14,500 | 148 | 71 | -55% | 26% | -13% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Kyle Stanley | $7,600 | $7,000 | $15,000 | 56 | 59 | -23% | -42% | -4% | 500 | 500 | 33 | 19 |
| Bud Cauley | $7,600 | $6,900 | $15,800 | 96 | 40 | 27% | 24% | -7% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Chez Reavie | $7,600 | $7,200 | $15,600 | 102 | 43 | 18% | -13% | 0% | 60 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Nick Taylor | $7,600 | $5,000 | $13,300 | 201 | 102 | -91% | 18% | 2% | 500 | 47 | 500 | 500 |
| Lucas Glover | $7,500 | $6,200 | $14,400 | 92 | 75 | -33% | -24% | -3% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 64 |
| Graham DeLaet | $7,500 | $6,600 | $15,900 | 94 | 38 | 52% | 50% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 7 |
| Jim Herman | $7,500 | $4,700 | $12,800 | 118 | 142 | -104% | 10% | -6% | 33 | 10 | 500 | 500 |
| Jamie Lovemark | $7,500 | $7,300 | $14,500 | 83 | 67 | -11% | -114% | 0% | 39 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Si Woo Kim | $7,500 | $7,000 | $14,500 | 39 | 71 | -22% | -74% | -10% | 10 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Martin Flores | $7,400 | $4,600 | $12,700 | 235 | 155 | -88% | 8% | -7% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 74 |
| Charles Howell | $7,400 | $6,400 | $14,200 | 63 | 81 | -22% | -44% | 0% | 39 | 10 | 500 | 7 |
| Adam Hadwin | $7,400 | $7,700 | $14,800 | 50 | 62 | 9% | -142% | -4% | 21 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| James Hahn | $7,400 | $5,900 | $15,400 | 65 | 47 | 41% | 44% | 0% | 9 | 6 | 56 | 500 |
| Rafael Cabrera-Bello | $7,400 | $8,500 | $15,900 | 19 | 39 | 53% | -150% | -15% | 10 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Michael Kim | $7,300 | $4,900 | $12,200 | 285 | 211 | -70% | -17% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Poom Saksansin | $7,300 | $4,500 | $11,100 | 211 | 374 | -100% | -6% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Cody Gribble | $7,300 | $4,700 | $11,800 | 280 | 250 | -78% | -8% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Phachara Khongwatmai | $7,300 | $4,500 | $11,800 | 247 | 253 | -81% | 4% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hao-Tong Li | $7,300 | $6,700 | $14,800 | 64 | 62 | 24% | -17% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Danny Lee | $7,200 | $5,700 | $12,900 | 100 | 134 | -21% | -34% | -2% | 51 | 500 | 13 | 500 |
| Chris Stroud | $7,200 | $4,600 | $12,700 | 166 | 147 | -33% | 14% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 39 | 3 |
| Harold Varner | $7,200 | $5,800 | $14,500 | 144 | 68 | 24% | 9% | -7% | 39 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Morgan Hoffmann | $7,200 | $5,200 | $12,800 | 182 | 139 | -24% | -8% | 0% | 500 | 47 | 61 | 500 |
| Davis Love | $7,200 | $4,700 | $12,600 | 719 | 149 | -38% | 5% | 3% | 500 | 500 | 8 | 500 |
| Patrick Rodgers | $7,200 | $5,400 | $13,900 | 159 | 90 | 2% | 7% | 0% | 21 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Juvic Pagunsan | $7,100 | $4,500 | $11,300 | 265 | 287 | -48% | -1% | 1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jonas Blixt | $7,100 | $4,800 | $12,200 | 376 | 214 | -33% | -10% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 13 | 25 |
| Whee Kim | $7,100 | $5,000 | $12,700 | 202 | 154 | -23% | -16% | -5% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Scott Hend | $7,100 | $5,100 | $14,300 | 87 | 79 | 21% | 24% | -6% | 7 | 27 | 500 | 40 |
| David Lipsky | $7,100 | $4,800 | $12,700 | 147 | 149 | -19% | 2% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 75 | 500 |
| Gavin Green | $7,100 | $4,500 | $14,300 | 158 | 75 | 27% | 50% | 3% | 69 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Stewart Cink | $7,000 | $6,100 | $13,400 | 145 | 106 | 20% | -39% | -2% | 500 | 17 | 56 | 11 |
| Keegan Bradley | $7,000 | $6,900 | $14,500 | 98 | 68 | 43% | -48% | -3% | 6 | 47 | 500 | 10 |
| Ben Crane | $7,000 | $5,000 | $12,300 | 392 | 194 | -15% | -22% | 0% | 500 | 29 | 500 | 500 |
| Camilo Villegas | $7,000 | $4,900 | $12,400 | 384 | 182 | -13% | -13% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 44 |
| Kevin Tway | $7,000 | $5,300 | $13,200 | 183 | 124 | 15% | 0% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Jhonattan Vegas | $7,000 | $5,600 | $14,300 | 38 | 76 | 31% | 8% | -3% | 45 | 500 | 26 | 500 |
| Richy Werenski | $7,000 | $5,400 | $12,900 | 198 | 129 | 9% | -11% | 2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Cheng-Tsung Pan | $7,000 | $4,900 | $12,800 | 170 | 140 | 2% | 2% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Hudson Swafford | $6,900 | $5,500 | $14,100 | 79 | 85 | 35% | 5% | 0% | 29 | 24 | 500 | 500 |
| Sung Kang | $6,900 | $5,500 | $13,200 | 105 | 119 | 27% | -7% | 0% | 21 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| D.A. Points | $6,900 | $4,500 | $11,700 | 229 | 274 | -11% | 1% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 68 |
| Richard T. Lee | $6,900 | $4,600 | $11,000 | 494 | 403 | -23% | -17% | 0% | 500 | 75 | 500 | 35 |
| Nicholas Fung | $6,900 | $4,500 | $11,000 | 287 | 453 | -24% | -10% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 65 | 63 |
| Kelly Kraft | $6,900 | $4,800 | $12,000 | 189 | 228 | -5% | -12% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Rod Pampling | $6,900 | $4,700 | $11,600 | 210 | 283 | -13% | -15% | -1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Robert Streb | $6,900 | $5,800 | $13,300 | 123 | 118 | 29% | -26% | -2% | 39 | 53 | 500 | 500 |
| Chad Campbell | $6,800 | $6,000 | $12,800 | 188 | 142 | 23% | -69% | -4% | 45 | 29 | 500 | 500 |
| Scott Stallings | $6,800 | $4,900 | $13,100 | 245 | 127 | 33% | 13% | 0% | 500 | 500 | 19 | 47 |
| Colt Knost | $6,800 | $11,100 | 355 | 386 | -7% | -1% | 72 | 37 | 500 | 500 | ||
| Jazz Janewattananond | $6,800 | $4,600 | $11,600 | 187 | 271 | 3% | -5% | 1% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Danny Chia | $6,800 | $4,500 | $10,800 | 462 | 594 | -11% | -11% | 0% | 78 | 68 | 65 | 500 |
| Scott Brown | $6,800 | $6,000 | $13,100 | 127 | 128 | 31% | -50% | -2% | 500 | 56 | 500 | 72 |
| Wesley Bryan | $6,800 | $5,200 | $13,000 | 53 | 131 | 29% | -4% | -2% | 500 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Prayad Marksaeng | $6,800 | $4,600 | $11,300 | 275 | 296 | -3% | -11% | 0% | 500 | 56 | 500 | 44 |
| Shiv Chawrasia | $6,800 | $4,500 | $11,400 | 253 | 303 | -4% | -4% | -3% | 71 | 73 | 500 | 500 |
Color Coding
Course history in BLUE indicates a top ten finish.
Course history in GREEN indicates a top 25 finish.
Course history in YELLOW indicates a made cut with a finish outside of the top 25.
Course history in RED indicates a missed cut.
Legend
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Site Odds | The percentage differential between a golfer’s salary rank and odds rank. The higher the %, the better. |
| OWGR | Official World Golf Ranking |
| Cuts | Cut record of each golfer at this course in the last five seasons. |
| 2013 – 2016 Columns | Course history at this event in the last five seasons. |