DAVAO CITY – Florence Yvon Bisera finally quenched her thirst by claiming her first Ladies Philippine Golf Tour title on home turf Thursday.
To the cheers of her family members, Bisera fired an even-par 73 to beat three-peat seeking Daniella Uy by three at the ICTSI South Pacific Classic here.
Bisera, who said Wednesday that she liked playing at the frontside of the challenging South Pacific course after posting a second straight solid 33 card, did flash her flair on the first nine holes, hitting two birdies to pull ahead of Fortuna, who, in contrast, tripped early with bogeys on Nos. 1 and 6.
While long shot Apple Fudolin mounted a searing frontside charge of 32 in a flight behind to rally from five down to within two aided by Bisera’s miscue on No. 8, the latter quietly deflected the threat with a brave run of pars at the exacting closing nine of the long but relatively flat layout.
She led Fortuna and Fudolin by three after 13 holes then coasted to victory furthered by her rivals’ rocky backside stints in their futile bids to make a run at the championship and halt Bisera’s impending title romp in the 54-hole event put up by ICTSI.
“This win means everything to me, very memorable since I did it on my home course and before my family,” said the 21-year-old Bisera, whose 215 total worth P125,000 capped a fine season-long campaign in the circuit supported by Kampfortis Golf that featured four Top 4 finishes in nine events.
Tied with Fortuna after 36 holes, Bisera pulled ahead with a birdie on No. 2 and built a two-shot cushion with another feat on No. 7 as the former failed to recover from dropped shots on Nos. 1 and 6.
Too tough in fact for the rest of her pursuers, who fell by the wayside one after the other, enabling Uy to snare runner-up honors in a flight ahead on a 69 for a 218 worth P86,000.
Fortuna double-bogeyed No. 14 and wound up with a 76 for third at 219 while Sarah Ababa ended up with a 74 for fourth at 220.
Harmie Constantino, winner at Luisita and Villamor Philippine Masters, shot a 71 to place fifth at 222 while Fudolin failed to sustain a brilliant nine-hole game with a backside 43 and dropped to sixth at 223 after a 75.
