RAMIL Bisera finally ended a long title drought, closing out with an even-par 72 with teenage amateur partner Micah Shin to win the P1 million Davao National Pro-Am Thursday at the Apo Golf and Country Club.
Bisera came through with solid iron shots to set up birdie chances and par-saving putts for Shin, the 15-year-old Korean expat who knows the Apo layout like the back of his hands, and the duo thwarted a charging Ferdie Aunzo-Monchit Mackay tandem to claim the victory with a 54-hole total of 218.
Aunzo and Mackay, the first round leaders, actually tied second round leaders Paul Minoza and Francis Morilla with birdies on the first two holes but fell back with a double-bogey on No. 7 and wound up with 72 for second at 219.
Minoza and Morilla remained tied with Bisera and Shin despite a 37 at the turn but faded with an awful 41 marred by three straight bogeys from No. 17. They ended up third with 223.
It was the soft-spoken Bisera’s first victory since beating Tony Lascuna at Villamor in the defunct Ericsson Tour in the early 2000s and the win is a big boost in morale as the 38-year-old Davaoeno resumes his quest for a win on the local circuit in next week’s Pueblo de Oro stop of the Philippine Golf Tour.
“This is a big morale-boost for my campaign on the pro tour,” said Bisera, who made just three cuts in 10 legs this season. He bagged the top prize of P172,000 while Shin received merchandise from the sponsoring Samsung and Emcor.
Bisera credited their victory to his 15-year-old partner, who made the putts inside six feet for their four birdies and knocked in a delicate four-foot putt for par on the 18th to clinch the victory after Aunzo and Mackay threatened with a closing birdie.
Aunzo settled for P116,000 and Minoza took home P68,000.
“He’s so good and very familiar with the layout,” said Bisera of Shin, winner of the NGAP’s Mindanao Regional in June.
Hanson So Jr. and Brixton Aw shot the day’s best of two-under 70 and came out of nowhere to share fourth place at 226 with Jun Bernis and Paul Garcia, who combined for 78.
Tony Lascuna and Den Den De Castro carded a 74, the same output put in by Ranel Glimada and Anthony Saban as they wound up tied for sixth with Mhark Fernando and Ais Fernando, who made a 77.
Elmer Salvador and Ryan Gotan shot a 75 and finished joint ninth with Edwin Estrera and Aristeo Mata, who made a 73, at 228.
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