Shin holds off Tabuena for TCC win

STA. ROSA, Laguna — Even on a day when almost nothing went right, Micah Shin found a way to remind everyone why he’s still the man to beat at The Country Club.

Playing through lingering hip pain from surgery and shaky form from the start, Shin relied on grit and experience, grinding out clutch pars on the final two holes to fend off Miguel Tabuena by a single shot and claim the TCC Invitational crown on Friday.

A shaky back nine nearly cost him the win. Three bogeys over six holes from No. 11 turned what had been a comfortable lead into a tense duel reminiscent of their dramatic 2018 showdown. Back then, Shin also survived a late charge from Tabuena to win by one. Eight years later, history repeated itself: a squandered cushion, a furious chase, and once again, Shin standing tall at the end.

After rounds of 71, 71, and 72, Shin stumbled to a six-over 76 on the final day but still finished at 290, two-over for the tournament, pocketing the top prize of P2.2 million from a P6.5 million purse — nearly double his earnings from his breakthrough win eight years ago.

“It feels different, obviously,” Shin said. “But it felt like déjà vu.”

Twice in the closing stretch, Tabuena closed to within a single shot. Twice, Shin answered with the calm of a veteran and the composure of a former champion. After bogeys on Nos. 11, 14, and 16, Shin still found enough in reserve to frustrate the 2017 champion, saving par on the final hole with a superb chip despite missing greens on the tricky finish.

“I feel thankful to be a two-time winner,” Shin said. “This is one of the biggest tournaments in the Philippines, and I’m happy to be back.”

The win also comes at a key moment. “This is a warm-up for next week,” he added. “Definitely a confidence booster.”

Shin admitted the pain made the round a real battle. “I had a little injury this morning, and it was tough. I would’ve felt really bad if I didn’t get the win. But I just held on.”

And hold on he did. When his lead shrank to just one after the bogey on No. 14, Shin chose aggression over caution, trusting his instincts and his caddie.

“If I played my game, I knew I would win,” he said. “I tried not to think too much about the injury, even though I felt it all day.”

Tabuena finished with a third straight 73 to end at 291, earning P1.05 million, yet falling just short of a second TCC title. Despite the heartbreak, there’s cause for optimism: the 31-year-old Filipino ace is set to head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the opening leg of the LIV Golf League.

“Three-over in four days here is not a bad score,” Tabuena said. “Micah had a great up-and-down on the last hole, and I couldn’t do anything about that. My game is trending in the right direction, and hopefully I get to play in Saudi next week.”

Guido van der Valk carded a 73 to snatch third place at 294, while Clyde Mondilla faded with a 75 to share fourth at 295 with Jaehyun Jung, who shot a 73.

Rain and gusty winds challenged the elite field, yet the course held firm, delivering another unpredictable finish at TCC — a venue that never forgives complacency.

And once again, when the pressure mounted and the margin disappeared, Shin showed that at TCC, survival isn’t luck — it’s a habit.