Bisera rallies to ninth as Hou wins Kenda Open

TAICHUNG, Taiwan – Yvon Bisera made good on her vow to fight back, closing with a solid 5-under 67 to storm into the Top 10 while local ace Yu Chiang Hou held her nerve through a dramatic three-way playoff to capture the Kenda Tires TLPGA Open at Taichung International Golf Club on Friday.

Bisera saved her best for last.

After a costly 73 in the second round seemingly derailed her title hopes following an opening 67, the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour standout returned with renewed purpose and matched her first-round 5-under card.

The closing 67 lifted Bisera from a tie for 16th to solo ninth at 9-under 207.

She wasted little time mounting her charge, rattling off three straight birdies starting at No. 4.

Birdies on Nos. 13 and 17 completed a bogey-free closing round that restored the momentum she had lost a day earlier.

Bisera had been just one stroke off the lead after the opening round but fell seven shots behind following her second-round stumble.

She vowed to bounce back in the final round and delivered on that promise.

Although the late surge came too late to put her back in title contention, the finish capped a strong tournament in which Bisera showed she could contend against some of the region’s leading players.

Seoyun Kim also rallied with a bogey-free 68 to emerge as the next-best LPGT player, tying for 20th at 4-under 212 in the TWD 4 million, 54-hole championship co-sanctioned by the Taiwan LPGA Tour and LPGT.

The young Korean birdied twice on each nine and produced several scrambling pars to keep her card spotless.

Sarah Ababa carded a 72 after two back-nine birdies offset a pair of bogeys, finishing tied for 23rd at 3-under 213.

Mafy Singson also mounted a late charge, playing her first nine in 33 before needing a birdie on No. 8 to salvage a 36 coming home.

Her closing 69 lifted her six places from 37th to a tie for 31st at 2-under 214.

Jiwon Lee, the other LPGT mainstay to make the cut, closed with a 72 to share 49th at 2-over 218.

While Bisera and the other LPGT players battled for strong finishes, the championship turned into a gripping local thriller.

Hou overcame a double bogey on No. 8 with three back-nine birdies to shoot a 68 and finish regulation at 14-under 202.

That sent her into a three-way playoff with local amateur Jie-En Lin and South Korea’s Seulgi Jeong, who also finished at 202 after closing with rounds of 63 and 68, respectively.

The championship then became a test of nerve.

Lin was the first eliminated after failing to match the birdies of Hou and Jeong on No. 18.

With the title down to Hou and Jeong, the Korean appeared to have an opportunity to seize control from about 12 feet.

Jeong instead three-putted, turning a chance at the title into a costly mistake.

Hou took advantage of the opening.

The Taiwanese star calmly drained a 7-foot birdie putt to seal the championship.