Bisera-Shin holds off Aunzo-Mackay, bags Davao crown

DAVAO, Philippines – Ramil Bisera finally ended a long title drought, closing out with an even-par 72 with teener Micah Shin and winning the P1 million Davao National Pro-Am Presented by Samsung and Emcor crown by one at the Apo Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Bisera came through with solid iron shots to set up birdie chances and par-saving putts for Shin, the 15-year-old Korean expat who knows the Apo layout like the back of his hands, and the duo thwarted a charging Ferdie Aunzo-Monchit Mackay tandem to claim the victory with a 54-hole total of 218.

Aunzo and Mackay, the first round leaders, actually tied second round leaders Paul Miñoza and Francis Morilla with birdies on the first two holes but fell back with a double-bogey on No. 7 and wound up with 72 for second at 219.

Miñoza and Morilla remained tied with Bisera and Shin despite a 37 at the turn but faded with an awful 41 marred by three straight bogeys from No. 17. They ended up third with 223.

It was the soft-spoken Bisera’s first victory since beating Tony Lascuña at Villamor in the defunct Ericsson Tour in the early 2000s and the win is expected to boost the 38-year-old Davaoeño’s confidence heading to next week’s resumption of the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour at Pueblo de Oro.

“This is a big morale-boost for my campaign on the pro tour,” said Bisera, who made the just three cuts after 10 legs of the current circuit. He took the top P172,000 purse while Shin received merchandise from the sponsoring Samsung and Emcor.

But Bisera credited their victory to his 15-year-old partner, who made the putts inside six feet for their four birdies and knocked in a delicate four-foot putt for par on the 18th to clinch the victory after Aunzo and Mackay threatened last with a closing birdie.

Aunzo settled for P116,000 and Miñoza took home P68,000 while their amateur partners receive merchandise during awards rites in the event backed by Microtel by Wyndham Davao, Kawasaki Motors Phils. Corp., Malayan Insurance, Suzuki, Cargo Serve, LVL Construction, DASIA, Koppel, Chain Marketing, Percia Construction, Transworld, Goetz Moving, JD Alvarado Architects, Pluvial, Vigor, Condura, VM Security, Adtel and Skygo.

“He’s so good and very familiar with the layout,” said Bisera of Shin, winner of the NGAP’s Mindanao Regional here last June.

Hanson So Jr. and Brixton Aw shot the day’s best of two-under 70 and came out of nowhere to share fourth place at 226 with Jun Bernis and Paul Garcia, who combined for 78.

Tony Lascuña and Den Den De Castro carded a 74, the same output put in by Ranel Glimada and Anthony Saban as they wound up tied for sixth with Mhark Fernando and Ais Fernando, who made a 77.

Elmer Salvador and Ryan Gotan shot a 75 and finished joint ninth with Edwin Estrera and Aristeo Mata, who made a 73, at 228.