Thrilling homestretch erupts at Pueblo de Oro

CAGAYAN DE ORO — A first Order of Merit crown is within Yvon Bisera’s reach, but Harmie Constantino stands in the way, and with three legs left in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour season, the race for supremacy is shaping up as a down-to-the-wire battle.

Bisera and Constantino lead a talented field heading into the ICTSI Pueblo de Oro Championship, which gets under way Monday at Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club here. The P1.25-million championship kicks off a three-leg Mindanao swing that will decide not only the season’s remaining tournament titles but also the coveted OOM crown.

Armed with a pair of victories and three other strong finishes, Bisera has built a commanding position atop the season-long rankings, with total earnings of P439,150. But the margin offers little room for complacency, especially with Constantino, a former OOM champion, mounting a determined bid to reclaim the distinction she won in 2024.

Constantino sits second with P377,100 after also delivering a runaway victory at Caliraya Springs, leaving her with a clear target as the Tour enters its decisive stretch. The final three legs offer ample opportunity to overhaul the standings, putting a premium on consistency and clutch performances when the pressure is at its highest.

Bisera, for her part, has shown she can win in contrasting fashion. She opened her title run with a nerve-wracking three-way playoff victory at Lakewood before asserting her dominance at Pradera Verde, where she romped to a commanding seven-shot triumph.

Those results, complemented by three other strong finishes, including a runner-up effort at Summit Point, have given her the upper hand in the OOM race. But the ace Davaoeña knows that a strong finish — not past accomplishments — will ultimately determine whether she can convert her season-long consistency into a maiden OOM title.