The Starter: Round 2, CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia

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Oct. 28, 2010

The second round of the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia is set to begin Thursday night (ET). Here's a preview:

Groups we're watching:

Tee time	Players
11 p.m. ET No. 1		Tim Clark, Ernie Els Two of the highest-ranked players in this field are each near the lead after a 67. Clark is making just his second start since THE TOUR Championship.
11:50 p.m. ET No. 1		Carl Pettersson, Brian Davis Starting the day just two behind the leaders, either player can turn up the heat on the final pairing. Davis can cap a career year with a win.
12 a.m. ET No. 1		Ryan Moore, Ricky Barnes Moore's 64 was his first round since the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, where he closed with a pair of top-10 finishes.

MORE ROUND 2: Tee times | About the field | Inside the course

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents Helen Ross previews Friday's action:

Friday's forecast

Scattered storms
Temp: 90 high/73 low
Chance of rain 60 percent. NW winds around 8 mph.

The final group on Friday features two of the United States' brightest young stars in Ricky Barnes and Ryan Moore. The two were considered can't-miss kids when they left college -- Arizona and UNLV, respectively -- but their roads to success have been considerably different.

Barnes, who leads by one after a bogey-free 63, spent five years on the Nationwide Tour before earning his TOUR card when he finished 25th on the money list in 2008. He kept it last year thanks predominently to a tie for second at the U.S. Open but Barnes has come into his own this season with six top-10s and more than $1.8 million in earnings.

Moore, on the other hand, was the first player since Tiger Woods to go from college to the PGA TOUR without heading to q-school. He's earned at least $1 million each season since getting his card for the 2006 season. Moore picked up his first TOUR victory last year in Greensboro but has assured himself of a career year in earnings with six top-10s this season.

Moore comes to Malaysia with momentum, too, after top-10s in the last two events of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Barnes' 63 was his best round since he shot a career-low 62 in the third round of the Memorial Tournament where he tied for third, his best finish of the season.

The Asian Tour is doing well, too, with three players -- Thongchai Jaidee, Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Mardan Mamat -- tied for sixth. Only seven players in the elite field of 40 playing for $6 million shot over par in the first round, so it should be an interesting weekend.

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