MICAH Shin fired seven birdies in carving out a six-under-par 65 yesterday for a two-shot lead over Rufino Bayron after the opening round of the ICTSI Riviera Classic at the complex’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.
The American-Korean Shin assembled a 32-33 card over the ravine-laden, wind-swept layout that played as tough as nails as only five players cracked par with Albin Engino, Clyde Mondilla and rookie Jobim Carlos shooting 69s to be four back.
The in-form Jay Bayron, shooting for a second straight championship after ruling the Aboitz Invitational at Wack Wack East last week, matched par like Jet Mathay and Jonel Ababa.
Antonio Lascuna, owner of four championships this season, struggled to shoot a 74 like former Philippine Open champions Cassius Casas, Artemio Murakami, Elmer Salvador and a handful of others counting the veteran Mars Pucay.
Rufino Bayron eagled the par-5 fifth hole and birdied four of his first five holes in the back nine only to close out with his second bogey for a 34-33.
Mondilla, who withdrew after the second round of the Aboitiz event because of a bad back, also missed the chance of staying closer to Shin after signing for a double bogey 6 on the 18th. He had come into that hole birdieing the previous three.
Carlos, the former national champion who had a close brush with a breakthrough victory earlier in the year, also finished in sputtering fashion with bogeys in his last two holes.
The 23-year-old Carlos, an advertising graduate from the University of San Francisco, drained four of his five birdies in the first six holes of the back nine.
Nicolas Paez of the United States, who bungled the final round lead at Wack Wack to finish fourth, fired a 72 to be in the company of five local bets trailing Shin by seven.