Micah Shin eyes repeat win in TCC Invitational

MANILA, Philippines — Micah Shin tries to become only the second player to keep The Country Club Invitational crown as the lean but mean Korean-American headlines a stellar cast in the $5 million event starting at the TCC in Laguna.

Only the top 30 players in the 2018 Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit ranking are seeing action in what has become a major championship outside of the Solaire Philippine Open for its select field and prize fund with another tight finish seen in the 72-hole championship also serving as the kickoff leg of this year’s PGT.

Shin held off 2017 champion Miguel Tabuena to snatch a one-stroke victory last year, becoming the first non-Filipino winner of the event put up by ICTSI chairman Ricky Razon to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo.

But he will be hard pressed to match Angelo Que’s back-to-back feat in 2010-11 with four other former champions out to foil Shin’s bid, each coming into the event in top form following stints in the Phl Open and the recently concluded ICTSI Luisita Championship.

But one thing going for the defending champion, who honed his skills and talent in Davao and also won at Luisita in 2016, is the momentum needed in such kind of a test, having turned in a joint third place effort in last week’s PGT Asia event in Tarlac.