CABANATUAN City – Yvon Bisera delivered a clutch finishing kick, draining a pressure-packed birdie down the stretch to card a three-under 69 and wrest a two-shot lead over Sarah Ababa at the start of the ICTSI Lakes Championship at Lakewood Golf and Country Club here on Tuesday, March 24.

Bisera leaned on steady ball-striking and a sizzling putter, needing just 27 putts to outduel a crowded leaderboard that shifted throughout a sweltering, windless day. Her round, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 No. 4, saw her close with a gritty par-birdie-par stretch to wrest control late.

“My driving and irons were good, but I really banked on my putting,” said Bisera. “Finishing with only 27 putts is an achievement.”

Unfazed by the heat, the Davao native noted the conditions were nothing new.

“Medyo sanay naman tayo sa ganitong kondisyon. Ganito din kainit sa Davao,” she said.

Bisera also drew confidence from the course setup, which she said mirrors her home track. “Similar ang layout sa South Pacific, so medyo familiar din,” she added.

Looking ahead, she aims to capitalize on the par-5s to widen her advantage. “I need to birdie the par-5s kasi malalapit sila for me,” said Bisera.

Ababa, the reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion, kept within striking distance with a 71. She highlighted her round with an eagle on the par-5 eighth, then rebounded from back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 with a birdie on the 14th.

Unlike Bisera, Ababa aims to stay steady with her putting in the final two rounds of the P1.2 million championship sponsored by ICTSI.

“Sana lang pumasok ang mga putts sa last two rounds,” said Ababa.

Harmie Constantino briefly threatened after a birdie on No. 8 and a steady string of pars but faltered with a costly mistake on the 18th, settling for a 72 and a share of third with Seoyun Kim and Martina Miñoza.

A tightly packed field looms behind. Defending champion Tiffany Lee, along with Kayla Nocum and Lois Kaye Go, carded identical 73s, while Mafy Singson and Daniella Uy posted 74s – setting the stage for a potentially wide-open battle in the remaining rounds of the 54-hole tournament.

Meanwhile, Marvi Monsalve, Princess Superal and Chanelle Avaricio will need strong bounce-back performances to wheel back into contention.

Monsalve mixed two birdies with a double bogey and two bogeys for a 75, tying for 11th with Kristine Fleetwood. Superal struggled to gain momentum, finishing with a 76 to share 13th with Pamela Mariano.

Avaricio endured the toughest day among the contenders, stumbling with double bogeys on two par-5s and multiple bogeys for a front-nine 42. Though she steadied at the back, a closing bogey left her well off the pace at 79.

Bisera’s round itself was a tale of resilience. After an early surge with back-to-back birdies, she stumbled with a bogey and a double that briefly knocked her off the leaderboard. But she roared back with a birdie-par-eagle-birdie run from No. 2, regaining control with a birdie on the eighth.