STA. ROSA, Laguna – Florence Bisera mirrored Arnold Villacencio’s success in the men’s division of the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational, though their triumphs came through very different paths.
While Villacencio drew strength from his daughter Gretchen’s unwavering faith, Bisera leaned on the steady presence of her father, Reynaldo, who played a pivotal role as her caddie.
“Nakatulong ng malaki si Papa kasi nako-control niya ang emotions ko. Kapag kinakabahan na ako, andun cya para i-comfort ako (My Papa was a big help because he helped me control my emotions. Whenever I got nervous, he was there to comfort me),” said Bisera, after edging out Mikha Fortuna’s bid for a back-to-back championship with a hard-fought 2&1 victory here on Friday. “Magaling din siyang magbasa ng green (He’s also great at reading the greens).”
The Davaoeña golfer, who bowed out in the first round here last year, seized control early in the final in overcast skies, winning three of the first five holes as Fortuna struggled to find her rhythm.
Despite calm conditions at the impeccably maintained TCC course, Bisera navigated its challenges masterfully, capitalizing on Fortuna’s tentative start to take an early lead in the high-stakes final.
Bisera stayed composed throughout, even as rain added a layer of difficulty mid-round. She thwarted every comeback attempt by the defending champion, delivering clutch pars at critical moments.
When Fortuna narrowed the gap to one hole on the 15th, Bisera responded with a brilliant approach shot on the challenging par-4 16th, leaving herself a birdie putt. She confidently sank it, regaining a two-hole cushion.
On the par-3 17th, Bisera held her ground, matching Fortuna’s par to close out the match with a 2&1 victory and claim the championship title, along with the P280,000 prize.
Reflecting on her win, Bisera shared how this triumph felt the same from her maiden title at the South Pacific Classic in Davao last year. However, this time, she prevailed in a far more unpredictable match-play format against the elite of the Ladies PGT and on a demanding course.
“I’m both happy with both wins. Mas masaya lang ako ngayon kasi na-prove ko sa sarili ko na kaya kong manalo hindi lang sa home course ko, pati din sa ibang course (I’m even happier now because I proved to myself that I can win not just on my home course but also on other courses),” she said.
Ranked No. 5 in the 16-player field, Bisera’s path to the title was anything but easy. She dispatched Velinda Castil, 4&2, in the first round, dominated Rev Alcantara, 4&3, in the quarterfinals, and survived a tense 1-up semis battle against Daniella Uy.
Fortuna, on the other hand, had a more grueling route to the finals. She edged Jiwon Lee on the 19th hole in her opening match, narrowly beat Kristine Fleetwood, 1-up, but showcased her readiness to defend her crown by defeating Marvi Monsalve, 3&1, in the semis.
Their showdown in the 18-hole final started on equal footing, but Bisera’s ability to impose her will early, maintain momentum and deliver clutch shots secured her the win.
“I didn’t expect to control the match, kasi I know magaling si Mikha sa Match Play. Medyo nag-struggle lang siya sa putting, kaya nakalamang agad ako (because I know Mikha is good at Match Play. She just struggled a bit with her putting, which allowed me to take the lead early on),” said Bisera, who also dedicated her victory to her family and to God.
Fortuna took home P200,000.
Meanwhile, Monsalve and Uy turned their battle for third place into a tightly contested duel, with the former finally prevailing on the 22nd hole. She earned P150,000, while Uy settled for fourth and pocketed P120,000.
