In hot pursuit

After missing an overseas campaign, ace Davaoeña Yvon Bisera has turned the setback into a golden opportunity, setting her sights on a dominant third victory of the season at home.

Bisera headlines a compact yet stellar field for the P1-million ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which gets going on Monday at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club in Cagayan de Oro City.

While a chance to chase a second career overseas title initially beckoned, Bisera was forced to pivot back to the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour after visa complications derailed her entry into next week’s Women’s China Open on the China LPGA Tour.

The redirection puts the talented Filipina right back on track in the domestic circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.

Bisera has enjoyed a strong international and local campaign this year, finishing as runner-up at the Singapore Ladies Masters in June, narrowly missing a follow-up to her breakthrough Thailand Ladies Masters triumph last season.

She also contended strongly at the recent Kenda Tire Open of the Taiwan LPGA Tour, securing a ninth-place finish despite a costly second-round stumble.

Locally, Bisera remains a primary force. She narrowly missed out on her third LPGT win of the season at Summit Point last month, finishing just one stroke behind Chanelle Avaricio. That razor-thin margin firmly establishes Bisera as the player to beat in this 54-hole sixth leg of the eight-leg circuit.

However, capturing the crown will be no easy task for the frontrunner.

Bisera faces fierce competition from reigning Order of Merit winner Sarah Ababa, alongside tour veterans Princess Superal and Daniella Uy, both eager to snap prolonged title droughts. Rounding out the formidable challengers are former leg winners Tiffany Lee and Chihiro Ikeda.

The three-day championship field also features Martina Miñoza, Rev Alcantara, Gretchen Villacencio, Apple Fudolin, Velinda Castil, Eunhua Nam, Eva Miñoza and Angela Mangana. Adding extra intrigue to the mix is amateur standout Ace Superal, who is thrilled to participate in a rare professional stint as she hones her game for upcoming domestic and international competitions.

Meanwhile, other top LPGT contenders are taking the international stage. Chanelle Avaricio, a two-leg winner this season, and multi-titled player Mafy Singson are both set to compete in the Women’s China Open, which gets underway on Saturday in Shanghai.