Davao City’s Florence Yvon Bisera leaned on her vast familiarity on her home turf striking a three-stroke win over Daniella Uy to seal her first ever LPGT title in the 2023 ICTSI South Pacific Classic on Thursday.
Bisera won the title before jubilant local supporters by three strokes with a final score of 72 at the South Pacific Golf and Country Club course.
Bisera showcased her talent on the front nine, hitting two birdies and distancing herself from co-leader Mikha Fortuna, who struggled with early bogeys. While Apple Fudolin made a strong charge on the front nine, narrowing the gap to just two strokes, Bisera remained composed and held off the threat with a series of pars on the challenging back nine.
By the 13th hole, Bisera had extended her lead to three strokes over Fortuna and Fudolin. From there, she cruised to victory, as her competitors struggled on the back nine, unable to mount a comeback. Bisera’s triumph was especially meaningful as she accomplished it on her home course in front of her family.
The 21-year-old golfer’s win capped off an impressive season, with four top-four finishes in nine events. Her final score of 215 earned her a prize of P125,000 in the tournament organized by ICTSI and supported by Kampfortis Golf.
Bisera took the lead after 36 holes with a birdie on the second hole and further extended it with another birdie on the seventh. She acknowledged that the back nine was challenging and was relieved to have a two-stroke cushion. Her competitors struggled on the back nine, allowing Daniella Uy to secure second place with a score of 218.
Mikha Fortuna finished in third place with a score of 219, while Sarah Ababa claimed fourth place with a score of 220. Harmie Constantino, the winner of previous tournaments at Luisita and Villamor, finished fifth with a score of 222.
Bisera’s victory was a testament to her driving skills, but she also credited her father, who served as her caddie throughout the tournament and provided valuable insight into the greens.
In a remarkable feat, Minyeong Kim of Korea scored a hole-in-one on the 145-yard No. 5 hole. This impressive shot, made with a Mizuno 8-iron and Titleist No. 3 ball, contributed to Kim’s final round score of 74. She finished tied for tenth place with Chihiro Ikeda and Gretchen Villacencio, earning a prize of P5,000 from the host club.
Meanwhile, Mafy Singson claimed the Low Amateur Honors in the tournament’s final round.
