Shin seizes 2-shot lead as Garalde fades

TRECE MARTIREZ, Cavite , Philippines   â€“ Teener Micah Shin pounced on Randy Garalde’s frontside meltdown then survived a shaky windup to salvage a two-under 70 and wrest a two-stroke lead halfway through the rich ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club here yesterday.

Shin, a 17-year-old find of American-Korean descent from Davao who never contended for even a top 10 finish in the first three legs of this year’s ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour, suddenly found himself pacing a stellar field with a seven-under 137 as Garalde faded with a 75 and slid to second at 139.

“I didn’t expect to lead. I just played my game although I had some lucky shots to compensate for my so-so putting,” said Shin, who finished tied for 22nd at ICTSI Splendido, wound up second-to-last at ICTSI John Hay before turning in a joint 25th place finish at ICTSI Eagle Ridge.

Garalde’s early foldup also enabled a host of players to close in with Splendido leg winner Jay Bayron moving to third at 140 after a second 70, Canadian Rick Gibson pooling a 141 after a 69 and Clyde Mondilla matching par 72 to join Jessie Balasabas and Edward Reyes, who both struggled with 75s, at fifth at 142.

“I lost my concentration after missing four putts from close range,” rued Garalde, who sizzled with a solid 64 Wednesday and kept his three-shot lead over Shin intact by matching his rival’s 34 at the front with his own version of three birdies against a bogey at the back.

But the 35-year-old Garalde lost his rhythm and touch at the front while trying to pad his lead in windy condition, bogeying the first three holes and losing strokes on Nos. 6 and 9 in a birdie-less 41 to drop off the leaderboard.

While Garalde faded at the finish, Shin held on with a gutsy 36 to find himself a bewildered leader halfway through the P3 million event sponsored by International Container Terminal Services, Inc. and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Shin, a young second year pro whose best finish was eight at ICTSI Wack Wack last year, shot five birdies against a bogey to go four-under and four-up on Garalde after 16 holes. But he overshot the 17th green from 100 yards and failed to rescue a par off the bunker then pitched strong off the fringe on the 18th and failed to return a six-footer for par.

Still, that put Shin on track for the record P650,000 top purse although he will have to toughen up in the face of the expected charge of the tour’s top guns, particularly Bayron, who birdied the 18th to put himself into contention in the event backed by Nike Golf, KZG, Titleist, Cleveland, Pacsports, Srixon, Callaway, Sharp and FootJoy with Custom Clubmakers also giving away P50,000 for the Player of the Year at the end of the season.

Gerald Rosales, the former Philippine Open champion, also rebounded from a forgettable 75 as he fired a four-under 68 to be at 143 in the company of Charles Hong and Art Arbole, who both carded 73s.

Frankie Miñoza flashed vintage form and shot seven birdies but made four bogeys and one double bogey to settle for a 71, the same output put in by Elmer Salvador, while John Hay leg champion Jun Rates produced a 70 for a three-way tie at 11th at 144.

Anthony Fernando, the former national champion also seeking a breakthrough win on the six-year old circuit backed media partners Balls TV and ABS-CBN, shot the day’s best of 67 to lead the 145 scorers, who included Robert Pactolerin (73), Paul Echavez (75), Benjie Magada (74) and Rolando Marabe and Rene Menor, who both fired 71s.