Shin’s class shines through in 9-shot ICTSI Apo triumph

DAVAO CITY – Neither the rain-soaked conditions nor Russell Bautista’s early surge could derail Micah Shin’s march to victory as he took firm control of the final round of the ICTSI Apo Golf Classic, cruising to a commanding nine-shot triumph over Sean Ramos here on Friday. Armed with a seven-stroke overnight cushion over Bautista, Shin played with measured aggression despite the softened and demanding conditions, displaying the same resilience that had defined his performances in the previous two rounds, He once again bounced back from every miscue and mishit, birdying Nos. 6 and 8 to offset a shaky bogey-birdie-bogey stretch from No. 2 and keep his round firmly on track. While Bautista showed some fight, carding a solid 33 on the front nine to trim the deficit to five, Shin remained unruffled, cruising through the closing nine holes with the poise, confidence and composure of a champion to leave little doubt about his command of the contest. He and Bautista faltered with bogeys on No. 14, but while Shin bounced back with a birdie on the next hole, Bautista could not find a similar response. Instead, he endured an erratic finish, dropping strokes on each of the next three holes and allowing Shin...