Bisera fires eagle-fueled 67, eyes Taiwan LPGA title

TAICHUNG, Taiwan — Yvon Bisera put herself firmly in title contention with a brilliant opening 67 on Wednesday, boosting the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s campaign and raising hopes of a Filipina returning to the Taiwan LPGA Tour winner’s circle after nine years.

Bisera overcame a shaky start with a strong finish, firing a 5-under-par round to trail Taiwan aces Joy Chou and Yu Chiang Hou by one stroke in the Kenda Tires TLPGA Open at Taichung International Golf Club.

The in-form Davaoeña recovered from a three-putt miscue on her opening hole, No. 10, with a birdie on No. 13.

She produced the highlight of her round on the par-5 18th, where she chipped in for eagle.

Bisera carried that momentum to the front nine, rattling off three straight birdies from Nos. 2–4 to complete a 33-34 card.

Her opening charge put her in a tie for third with Thailand’s Nook Sukapan, Malaysia’s Genevieve Ling, Japan’s Harumi Yoshikuwa, and Taiwan veteran Ching Huang.

They stood one stroke behind Chou and Hou, who shared the lead with 66s.

Bisera’s strong start came despite battling an illness that affected her long game.

She compensated with crisp iron play and steady putting, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation.

“Medyo pangit ‘yung driving ko today, since medyo pangit ‘yung kondisyon ng katawan ko. Pero bumawi naman sa iron shots. At natatamaan ko halos lahat ng green,” said Bisera, who missed just two greens.

She also had to recover quickly from her opening setback on No. 10, where she three-putted from 18 feet after missing the fairway.

“Nahihilo pa talaga ako sa umpisa. But sinabi ko lang na madami pang birdie chances kasi madami pang par-5s na naaabot. Kaya sabi ko, par lang dun sa next hole tapos alam kong makaka-birdie naman,” she said.

Bisera responded with an eagle on No. 18, followed by birdies on Nos. 2, 3, and 4.

She closed with a string of pars to move within one shot of the lead in the TWD 4 million championship, the 16th leg of the TLPGA Tour and a co-sanctioned event with the LPGT.

The 24-year-old is coming off two victories and a runner-up finish on the LPGT.

Bisera is seeking her second overseas victory after breaking through at the Thai Ladies Masters last year.

A victory in Taiwan would also make her the next Filipina to win on the TLPGA Tour since Pauline del Rosario’s breakthrough in 2017.

Bisera, however, is refusing to look too far ahead.

“I don’t want to think about it. But I want to play my game. Gusto ko lang mag-under every day. And if I have a chance, then I will take it,” said Bisera, whose campaign is backed by ICTSI.

Chou seized early control with a pitch-in eagle on No. 2 and five more birdies on the way to a bogey-free 66.

“I think I was just pretty much doing what I planned to do, so I wasn’t thinking too much about pressure,” said the 27-year-old Chou. “Even with everything, just do what I plan with my game, and yeah, not really thinking too much about the pressure.”

Her eagle came on the par-4 second, where she drove to the left side of the fairway before attacking from 90 yards.

“I thought it was just going to be close to the pin, but then the player in the same group said, ‘Oh, it went in.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, cool,’” said Chou. “It pretty much just matched my plan and it was a good shot.”

She used the early boost to fuel five more birdies while keeping a clean card and grabbing a share of the first-round lead.

Hou matched Chou after a dominant front-nine run, firing a blistering 6-under 30.

She shook off an even-par back nine, which included one birdie and one bogey, before surging up the crowded leaderboard.

Hou birdied Nos. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9 to finish with a 66.

Sukapan, fresh from winning the Strait Cup Classic in Tianjin two weeks ago, also opened with a 67.

She began with back-to-back birdies from No. 1 before recovering from a bogey on No. 5 with birdies on Nos. 10, 12, 16, and 18.

Ling anchored her round with a solid 33 on the front nine and also finished with a 67.

Huang, winner of the Philippine Ladies Masters at Summit Point last February, mounted her charge with four birdies on the back nine for a 35-32 card.

Reigning LPGT Order of Merit champion Sarah Ababa carded a 71 to tie LPGT mainstay Seoyun Kim for 23rd.

Kim slipped with a late bogey on No. 8.

The rest of the LPGT contingent struggled to sustain early momentum as the heat and undulating layout took their toll.

Chihiro Ikeda was 2 under through nine holes after starting on the back nine before stumbling with four bogeys against two birdies to finish with a 72.

She tied Mafy Singson for 32nd.

Singson was also 2 under through 13 holes before bogeying Nos. 14 and 16.

Rev Alcantara shot a 73 for a share of 45th.

Kayla Nocum and amateur Lisa Sarines matched 74s to share 56th.

Lois Kaye Go squandered a 2-under card after 13 holes with a costly finish.

Go double-bogeyed No. 5 and bogeyed the next three holes for a 75, leaving her tied for 67th with Harmie Constantino and Kristine Fleetwood.

Amateur Mona Sarines posted a 76 for a share of 78th.

Princess Superal struggled to a 77 and stood in danger of missing the cut in a tie for 84th.

With two rounds still to play, Bisera’s eagle-fueled 67 has put her within striking distance of a second overseas triumph and given the Philippines an early title threat in Taiwan.