Bisera surges to ninth as Hou wins TLPGA

TAICHUNG, Taiwan — Yvon Bisera made good on her vow to fight back, closing with a 5-under 67 to surge into the top 10 as Taiwan’s Yu Chiang Hou survived a three-way playoff to capture the Kenda Tires TLPGA Open at Taichung International Country Club on Friday.

Bisera saved her best for last.

After a costly second-round 73 stalled her title bid following an opening 67, the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour standout bounced back with her second 5-under round of the tournament.

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

She ignited her final-round charge with three straight birdies starting at No. 4.

Bisera added birdies on Nos. 13 and 17 to regain the momentum she lost a day earlier.

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

Bisera had vowed to bounce back in the final round, and the strong finish delivered her best result of the week.

Although the rally came too late to put her back in title contention, Bisera ended the tournament with another indication that she could compete with the region’s top players.

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

The young Korean made two birdies on each nine and converted several scrambling pars to keep her card clean.

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

Mafy Singson also mounted a late charge and closed with a 69.

Singson climbed six places from 37th to a share of 31st at 214.

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

While Bisera and the other LPGT players battled for strong finishes, the championship developed into a three-way fight at the top.

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

That forced a playoff with Taiwanese amateur Jie-En Lin and South Korea’s Jeong Seul Gi, who also finished at 202 after closing with rounds of 63 and 68, respectively.

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

Hou and Jeong then returned to the 18th for a second playoff hole.

Jeong had an opportunity to apply pressure from about 12 feet but three-putted.

Hou capitalized by sinking a 7-foot birdie putt to secure the championship.

Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, who seized the second-round lead with a 63, finished fourth at 12-under 204.

Santiwiwatthanaphong remained in contention after making the turn in 33 but bogeyed three of her first seven holes on the back nine.

A birdie on the final hole salvaged a 71 but left her two strokes outside the playoff.

For the ICTSI-backed Bisera, the closing 67 completed a strong rebound from her disappointing second round and secured a top-10 finish in the co-sanctioned event.