Bisera pushes Sui to the brink but falls short by one
MANILA, Philippines — Yvon Bisera fell tantalizingly short of her second overseas victory, dropping a heartbreaking one-stroke decision to China’s Xiang Sui after a dramatic, weather-delayed finale at the Singapore Ladies Masters.
In a Sunday thriller at the Laguna Golf and Country Club’s Masters course, Bisera put on a masterclass of grit and determination. Erasing a daunting four-stroke deficit, the Davaoeña standout fired a superb two-under 70 to finish with a 54-hole total of 210. However, a costly bogey on the par-3 17th ultimately thwarted her comeback bid, allowing Sui to secure the title with a total of 209, despite a closing 73.
While the narrow defeat stung, the performance solidified Bisera’s transition from a local dominant force on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour to a legitimate, rising regional powerhouse capable of going toe-to-toe with Asia's elite.
Playing one flight ahead of the championship group, Bisera, who scored an overseas breakthrough in Thailand last year, mounted a furious back-nine charge. She closed the gap with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th, momentarily forcing a tie at seven-under overall.
Pressure shifted back to Sui, who responded like a champion by draining a six-foot birdie on the same hole to regain a one-stroke cushion.
The tournament reached a fever pitch on the penultimate hole. Bisera’s tee shot found the left bunker, and though she blasted out to within four feet, her par putt carried too much pace, darting past the cup for a critical bogey.
Moments later, Sui gave Bisera a lifeline when she also failed to get up-and-down from the sand on the 17th. Needing a birdie on the 54th hole to force a playoff, Bisera’s valiant 20-foot attempt just missed the target.
Sui then safely parred from 15 feet to seal the narrow victory.
The final round was heavily disrupted by a one-hour weather delay after 14 holes, testing the composure of the field. Bisera emerged from the break locked in, though she was earlier haunted by missed opportunities.
Before the siren blew, she flubbed two highly makeable birdie opportunities — stunning a tee shot to within six feet on the par-3 No. 12 and missing another 12-foot look on the next — that would have given her an outright lead.
Sui, meanwhile, battled immense pressure early on, turning in an unstable 37. While she briefly widened the gap with a birdie on the 11th, consecutive bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14 kept the door wide open for the relentless Filipina.
Canadian amateur Shauna Liu and Indonesian Holly Halim both shot 71s to share third place at 211.
Other Filipina contenders, meanwhile, experienced contrasting fates.
Amateur Stevie Umali ignited early podium hopes after back-to-back birdies from No. 7 put her at four-under overall. However, a disastrous triple-bogey on No. 12 derailed her campaign. Further bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17 dropped her down, but she salvaged a 75 with a closing birdie to finish tied for 14th at 217.
Joining Umali was Chanelle Avaricio, who saved her best for last by firing a brilliant 4-under 68 to earn a Top 15 finish in the $120,000 tournament.
In contrast, Daniella Uy suffered a tough collapse, tumbling to joint 45th at 223 after a disappointing 78.
Despite missing out on the trophy, the week belonged to Bisera's overarching narrative of growth. Having already proven her clutch gene by winning a three-player playoff at the LPGT’s kickoff leg at Lakewood, her performance in Singapore proved her game translates seamlessly to the international stage.
Showcasing elite ball-striking, mental resilience through weather delays, and the ability to hunt down international champions, Bisera’s runner-up finish signals that it is no longer a matter of if she will conquer the region, but when.
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