Shin storms 7 shots clear at Apo Classic

DAVAO CITY — Micah Shin turned a wobbly start into a dazzling display of power and precision, coming away with a 67 to seize firm control of the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic and move within one round of capping his Philippine Golf Tour campaign with another victory here on Thursday.

After stumbling to one-over through his first four holes, the Korean-American ace unleashed a blistering five-birdie burst over a six-hole stretch to regain command and leave the rest of the elite field scrambling to keep pace. He then shifted into cruise control over the closing holes, holing out with another birdie and stretching his overnight four-shot lead over Clyde Mondilla to a commanding seven strokes over Russell Bautista.

With earlier rounds of 66 and 68, Shin stood at 15-under 201, turning what had shaped up as a competitive title chase into a virtual one-man show with 18 holes left to play in the P3 million season-ending tournament. His awesome firepower, near-flawless iron play and assured putting proved a formidable combination, leaving his challengers with little room to mount a serious charge.

Yet it was more than a hot putter and pinpoint ball-striking that set Shin apart. His intimate knowledge of Apo Golf and Country Club, where he honed and sharpened his game, gave him a distinct edge, allowing him to navigate the course’s nuances with the confidence of a player who knows precisely where to attack and where to exercise caution.

Sean Ramos made an early bid to stay within striking distance, recovering from a miscue on the opening hole with birdies on Nos. 7, 9 and 10. But the recent Asian Development Tour winner could not sustain the charge, bogeying two of the last four holes for a 72 and dropped to joint third with Mondilla at 211 total.

Bautista, meanwhile, produced one of the day’s most impressive rounds, firing a fiery 66 to grab solo second at 208 and revive his bid for a strong finish.

Bautista’s charge was highlighted by a birdie-blast on No. 9 that capped a solid four-under 32 on the front nine. He added another birdie on the 13th, then quickly recovered from a bogey on No. 16 with a birdie on the next hole. He saved his best for last, chipping in from beneath the trees on the par-5 18th to within four feet before tapping in for yet another birdie.

Shin admitted that his scoring was not necessarily a reflection of his best ball-striking, with a few fortunate breaks and a hot putter on the front nine helping him post a strong round.

I hit some good shots and some bad ones, but I also got a few lucky breaks and holed a lot of putts on the front nine. I think that helped me score really well,” said Shin, who insisted that his approach remained unchanged from the opening two rounds, with the focus firmly on avoiding costly mistakes rather than chasing perfection.

“Nothing was really different from the first two rounds. I just stuck to the same approach and tried to hit the fairways. I didn’t hit that many, but that was still the plan — get the ball in play and avoid bogeys,” he added.

While bogeys can trigger frustration, Shin believes his ability to quickly move on from mistakes has been key to keeping his round on track.

“I get really angry when I make a bogey, but I tend to forget about it pretty quickly. Maybe that helps,” he said.

What makes Shin even more dangerous is that he believes he is still some way from his best form.