WITH two big victories in the last four months, Micah Shin enters the Solaire Philippine Open oozing confidence.
But the lanky Korean-American knows it will be much tougher as the stakes go higher in the Open firing off Feb. 28 also at The Country Club.
“I’m looking forward to the Philippine Open. I really feel confident,” said Shin, 21, who added The Country Club Invitational title to his Asian Tour Southwoods title late last year.
Shin became the youngest and first non-Filipino winner in the TCC Invitational by edging last year’s champion Miguel Tabuena by one.
“He’s a good player and he deserved to win (the TCC Invitational),” said Tabuena, who ruled the rain-shortened Philippine Open at Luisita in 2015.
Last year’s Philippine Open champion Steve Lewton of England will lead the stellar cast aiming for a record title as Centennial champion of Asia’s first National Open, and the organizing National Golf Association of the Philippines and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and the sponsoring Solaire Resort and Casino are guaranteeing no less than a blockbuster staging of the 100th edition of the blue-ribbon event by assembling a cast of former champions, a slew of foreign aces and the leading and rising Filipino shotmakers.
“It’s Asia’s oldest National Open and this one is special because it’s the 100th tournament,” said Thomas Arasi, president/CEO of Solaire Resort and Casino.
“That’s what Solaire is all about – creating meaningful events and milestones,” added Arasi of the upcoming event which offers a total pot of $600,000, a big jump from last year’s $400,000 purse, making it the richest Open in history.
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