LIPA CITY, Batangas — Two victories in the first four legs have put Yvon Bisera firmly in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour title hunt, but the Davao ace is chasing more than another trophy when the ICTSI Summit Point Championship begins Tuesday at Summit Point Golf and Country Club.
The P1 million championship will serve as Bisera’s final major test at home before she makes her Korean LPGA Tour debut later this month.
Bisera will compete in the Hana Financial Group Championship on Sept. 17-20 in Gyeonggi Province, on Daebudo Island southwest of Seoul.
“I want to perform well at Summit Point kasi preparation ko din ‘to going to Korea” (because this is also my preparation for going to Korea), said Bisera, the 2025 Thailand LPGA Masters champion.
Bisera has been one of the LPGT’s standout players this season.
She outlasted two rivals in a playoff to win the Lakewood Championship in March, then dominated the Pradera Verde Championship in July, cruising to a seven-shot victory.
With her Korean LPGA debut approaching, Bisera has spent her time between tournaments sharpening the part of her game she believes could make the difference at Summit Point: her short game.
While waiting for her Korean visa documents, the Dabawenya devoted extra time to improving her touch around the greens, particularly with strong winds expected to test the players at the Batangas course.
“Focus ko talaga short game kasi it is very important sa Summit Point, lalo na pag malakas yung hangin (My focus is really on the short game because it is very important at Summit Point, especially when the wind is strong),” Bisera said.
Her short-game work could prove crucial in the 54-hole tournament, where a strong start can create an early advantage and composure over the final holes can decide the champion.
Bisera knows, however, that another runaway victory like her performance at Pradera Verde will be difficult.
“I really want to win pero lahat kami nag-prepare for this tournament (I really want to win, but all of us have prepared for this tournament),” she said.
She will face a strong field led by reigning Order of Merit champion Sarah Ababa.
Former leg winners Mafy Singson, Tiffany Lee, Chihiro Ikeda and Princess Superal are also in the field, along with Korean challenger Kim Seoyun.
Other contenders include Martina Miñoza, Pamela Mariano, Velinda Castil, Rev Alcantara, Angela Mangana and Gretchen Villacencio.
For Bisera, the Summit Point Championship offers a chance to chase another LPGT title while measuring how ready she is for a much bigger test in Korea. PR
