Ben Crane wins CIMB Asia Pacific Classic

Ben Crane of the USA birdied the final hole to win the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic at the Mines Resort & Golf Club in Malaysia by a single shot from England’s Brian Davis.

Ben Crane
Fergus Bisset
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Ben Crane of the USA birdied the final hole to win the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic at the Mines Resort & Golf Club in Malaysia by a single shot from England's Brian Davis.

Crane began the final round with a two shot lead but, with five birdies in his first eight holes, Luke Donald joined the American at the top of the leaderboard. Unfortunately for the Englishman, he then slumped to a triple-bogey seven at the 9th hole to undo much of his earlier good work. Although he made three more birdies on the back nine, Donald had to be content to finish in a tie for third with Scotland's Martin Laird.

Things looked rocky for Crane at the start of his back nine as he reeled off three straight bogeys between the 12th and 14th. But the American struck back with an eagle two at the driveable par-4 15th.

It was another Englishman Brian Davis who emerged as Crane's closest challenger. He finished birdie, eagle, birdie to tie Crane on 17-under-par. That meant Crane needed a birdie of his own at the closing hole to secure the title in regulation play.

He found the green in two then holed a great putt to seal the win in the first PGA Tour sanctioned event to be held in Southeast Asia.

"I had a great opportunity with that putt on 18 which I'll always remember," he said. "I was so nervous and I was just praying. I just wanted to hit a good putt and to see it go into the hole. It felt so good."

CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia The Mines Resort & Golf Club, Selangor, Malaysia October 28-31, purse $6,000,000, par 71 1   Ben Crane (USA)      67   64   66   69   266   $1,000,000     2   Brian Davis (Eng)      65   70   66   66   267   $575,000 T3   Luke Donald (Eng)   67   67   67   67   268   $403,000 T3   Martin Laird (Sco)   66   69   67   66   268   $403,000 T5   Robert Allenby (Aus)   72   66   68   64   270   $237,500 T5   Ernie Els (RSA)      67   68   69   66   270   $237,500 T5   Rickie Fowler (USA)   68   67   68   67   270   $237,500 T5   Mardan Mamat (Sin)   66   70   65   69   270   $237,500 T5   Ryan Moore (USA)   64   68   69   69   270   $237,500 T5   D.J. Trahan (USA)   67   67   68   68   270   $237,500

Note: Player in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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