Bisera zeroes in on first win, leads by three

Longshot Ramil Bisera moved on the brink of a career breakthrough when he fired a two-under-par 70 yesterday to increase his lead to three strokes over fancied Robert Pactolerin in the third round of the PGAP-Julio Cup at the Villamor Golf Club course.

The Davao-based Bisera, a 30-year-old whose best finish so far was sixth in The Country Club Invitational, recovered from every mistake he made on the treacherous layout and was still alone on top for the third consecutive day with a 210 aggregate, four-under-par.

Facing off with Pactolerin, the many-time Philippine Masters champ, Bisera was ready and showed he can handle the pressure and the challenge.

It was Pactolerin, his right wrist heavily bandaged due to a recurring injury, who scrambled to save precious strokes. He birdied the 18th for a 71 — not bad for someone who missed nine greens — and a 213 aggregate.

Another Villamor pro, Melvin Eso, kept himself in the hunt, staying in third spot by shooting a 71 for 215.

Antonio Lascuna (71) and Cassius Casas (70) were running fourth and fifth at 216 and 217, respectively, in the P1-million tourney bankrolled by Korean businessman Lee Sung Ho.

Casas, winless the past two years, could have come even closer if not for a wet double-bogey on the 17th. He had earlier threatened the leaders with three straight birdies from the seventh and finished his round with another birdie.

Bisera, son of a teaching pro based in Lanang, Davao, was even par through the first nine holes on two birdies (first and ninth holes) and bogeys on the second and fifth.