Bisera mounts three-shot Pradera lead despite hand injury
LUBAO, Pampanga – Battling through a lingering left-hand injury and enduring an hour-long weather delay, Yvon Bisera continued to showcase remarkable grit and composure, shooting a second straight 69 to pull ahead by three after two rounds of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship at the Arayat course here on Wednesday.
Bisera barely put a foot wrong in another steady display, shaking off an early challenge from first-round co-leader Harmie Constantino before methodically taking control with a near-flawless round highlighted by timely birdies and disciplined recovery play.
Despite playing through discomfort, the Davaoeña ace wasted little time asserting herself, birdieing Nos. 2 and 3 to pull clear of Constantino. A bogey on the fifth briefly slowed her momentum, but she quickly regained control with birdies on Nos. 10 and 12, capitalizing on the opportunities while Constantino struggled to convert scoring chances and settled for a frontside 36.
From there, Bisera relied on solid course management and steady putting, bouncing back from a miscue on the 17th with a birdie on the last to preserve another three-under card for a 36-hole aggregate of six-under 138, putting herself in prime position to capture her second Ladies Philippine Golf Tour title of the season.
The 18-hole leader now stands just one strong round away from adding another trophy to a solid start, having claimed the ICTSI Lakewood Championship in dramatic fashion via playoff last March.
“I played much steadier yesterday. I didn’t make a single bogey,” said Bisera in Filipino as she compared her two rounds.
She rued a costly three-putt on the par-4 fifth that stalled what had been a birdie-birdie surge starting from No. 2. But she quickly regained her rhythm, gunning down three birdies against just one bogey at the back to seize firm control heading into the final round of the P750,000 championship.
Constantino lost ground after mixing two birdies with two bogeys for an even-par 72, dropping to second place at 141, while Chihiro Ikeda struggled to a 74 but held on to third at 144, with the rest of the field needing low final-round scores to mount a serious title challenge.
Chanelle Avaricio, who rallied from behind to capture the Pinewoods crown last week, slipped further off the pace with a 75 following an opening 71. Her 146 aggregate left her eight strokes adrift of Bisera entering the final round.
Gretchen Villacencio produced the day's best round of 69 to climb to fifth at 147, although she remained nine shots back, while Daniella Uy carded a second straight 74 for a 148 total to stay in the mix but facing a steep uphill battle.
Bisera credited her comfort on the challenging layout to her familiarity with the greens and the course setup.
“I feel more comfortable on greens like these because they’re becoming familiar to me,” she said. “I also like the yardage since most of my approach shots are from within 120 yards, which really suits my game.”
Her confidence on the greens and favorable approach distances have allowed Bisera to play more aggressively while maintaining consistency.
Still, despite carrying a commanding lead into the final 18 holes, Bisera knows there is little room for complacency.
“I just need to keep playing steadily and avoid any more three-putts,” she said. “Hopefully, my hand won’t bother me anymore as well.”
With one round left, Bisera remains focused on executing her game plan, knowing that another composed performance could be enough to seal another championship.
Her impressive showing this week comes despite the nagging hand injury that has limited her in recent tournaments. After a confidence-boosting runner-up finish at the Singapore Ladies Masters, Bisera managed only a fifth-place finish at Caliraya Springs before slipping to 10th at Pinewoods last week – a mountain course she acknowledged did not complement her game.
The relatively flatter terrain of Pradera Verde's Arayat layout, however, has brought out the best in her game. Comfortable off the tee and precise with her irons, Bisera has backed up her belief with consecutive three-under rounds, combining patience, consistency and resilience to emerge as the player to beat heading into the final round. (Pool story)
- Latest
- Trending
