Battling through a lingering left-hand injury and an hour-long weather delay, Yvon Bisera continued to showcase remarkable grit and composure, firing a second straight three-under 69 to build a three-shot lead after two rounds of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship at the Arayat course in Lubao, Pampanga, Wednesday.
Bisera delivered another steady performance, fending 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. While Bisera capitalized on her scoring opportunities, Constantino struggled to do the same and turned in 36.
From there, Bisera relied on solid course management and steady putting. She bounced back from a bogey on the 17th with a birdie on the closing hole to card another 69 and finish 36 holes at 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 an impressive start to the year, having won the ICTSI Lakewood Championship in a 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 halted a birdie-birdie start from No. 2. But she quickly regained her rhythm, collecting three birdies against just one bogey on the back nine 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 at 141. Chihiro Ikeda struggled to a 74 but held on to third at 144, leaving the rest of the field needing a low final round to mount a serious title challenge.
Chanelle Avaricio, who rallied from behind to win the Pinewoods Championship last week, slipped further off the pace with a 75 after an opening 71. Her 146 total left her eight strokes behind Bisera entering the final round.
Gretchen Villacencio fired the day’s best round of 69 to climb to fifth at 147, though she remained nine shots back. Daniella Uy carded a second straight 74 for a 148 aggregate to stay within striking distance, albeit facing a steep uphill climb.
Bisera credited her comfort on the challenging layout to her familiarity with both 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 her 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 remaining, Bisera remains focused on executing her game plan, knowing another composed performance could be enough to secure another championship.
Her impressive showing this week has come despite the nagging hand injury that has hampered 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 dropping to 10th at Pinewoods last week — a mountain course she admitted did not suit her game.
The relatively flatter terrain of Pradera Verde’s Arayat layout, however, has brought out the best in her. Comfortable off the tee and precise with her irons, Bisera has backed up her confidence with consecutive rounds of 69, combining patience, consistency, and resilience to emerge as the player to beat heading into the final round.
