Published on October 9, 2018

Dream Debut at CIMB Classic


Kuala Lumpur, OCTOBER 9: Kim Leun Kwang of Malaysia speaks at a press conference ahead of the 2018 CIMB Classic at TPC KUALA LUMPUR on October 9, 2018, in KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia. (Photo by Azmi Othman)

Malaysia’s Jeremiah Kim Leun Kwang will make his dream debut in the CIMB Classic after winning the CIMB National Championship. Kim, who is close friends with reigning Order of Merit champion Gavin Green, will play in his career’s biggest tournament after sharpening his game on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

India’s Shubhankar Sharma, who has set his sights on winning the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings also prepares for his debut at the US$7 million CIMB Classic which starts on Thursday.

Shubhankar Sharma of India during an official practice round ahead of the CIMB Classic, at the TPC Kuala Lumpur. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The Indian star has led on the Habitat for Humanity Standings since winning in Malaysia in February but he has Sanghyun Park of Korea, who has won twice on the Asian Tour, breathing down his neck.

With Park also in the elite field this week and a mere US$54,278 separating the duo, Sharma knows he must put in a solid performance at the TPC Kuala Lumpur, a course where he has never played on before.

They will be joined by the leading available 10 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings which include Gaganjeet Bhullar, a nine-time Asian Tour winner, Justin Harding of South Africa and last week’s champion John Catlin of the United States.

The 22-year-old Sharma hopes to take a step closer towards becoming the Asian Tour’s number one golfer as half of the earnings won at the CIMB Classic will be counted on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the 2013 Asian Tour number one, will play in his first PGA Tour event at the CIMB Classic after becoming the first Thai to earn a PGA Tour card. He will look to improve on his tied third place finish in the showpiece in 2013.