Mickelson to lead CIMB Classic field

Phil Mickelson will be in action in Malaysia this week.

Phil Mickelson will participate in the CIMB Classic, a PGA Tour co-sanctioned event, in Malaysia later this year, organisers said Thursday.

Mickelson, winner of 41 PGA Tour events including four major championships, will be joined by the event’s 2012 winner Nick Watney and two other former champions Ben Crane and Bo Van Pelt, organisers said in a statement.

The $7 million tournament — up from $6.1 million the year before — will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club from October 24-27 and make its debut as a fully fledged PGA Tour FedExCup event.

A total of 78 players will vie for the title.

Mickelson, who now ranks number 10 in the world, said he was looking forward to the tournament, which began in 2010. The American has competed in Asia since 2007 but not been to Malaysia before.

“I’m really excited,” Mickelson said, adding that being part of the FedEx Cup “certainly drives the tournament’s competitiveness and encourages the presence of American golfers in the region”.

Last year, US star Tiger Woods led the field. The CIMB Classic is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.