Shin shines with record 64, leads by 1

LIPA CITY, Philippines — Coming into the ICTSI Summit Point World 18 Challenge here, Micah Shin hardly had any expectations of getting into the mix with a wobbly form he had been trying to check the last two weeks.

But just after 18 holes, the lanky Korean-American now expects to go all way to another championship.

Shin took command in a day of torrid scoring at Summit Point, coming away with a four-birdie spree on both nines to set a new course-record 64 for a one-stroke lead over Thai Donlaphatchai Niyomchon at the start of the $100,000 Philippine Golf Tour Asia event.

Coming off a so-so showing in his return stint on the local circuit two weeks ago, Shin, who honed his talent and skills in Davao and posted three big victories in CAT Open in Luisita in 2016, in a regional tour event in 2017, and in The Country Club Invitational last year, thrived in the privacy of one of the early flights and hit three straight birdies from No. 3 to spark a binge on a course that features a replica of 18 of the world’s most renowned golf holes.

“I had not been playing well lately and came here just trying to get back my feel,” said Shin, who shared 12th place in the ICTSI South Pacific Classic of the PGT in Davao and tied for 18th in the CAT Open of the PGT Asia at Luisita last week following a long overseas campaign.

“A couple of 65s were posted here last year, so his (Shin’s) 64 stands as the new course record,” said Summit Point general manager Vic de Guzman, referring to the seven-under cards recorded in last year’s edition of the event won by Joenard Rates, one of which Shin shot in the third round on his way to a joint fourth place finish.

But Niyomchon charged back in one of the late flights with four birdies at the back to fire a 65 and moved past erstwhile second-running Joe Knox of England, who shot a frontside best 30 spiked by an eagle on No. 9 for a 66.