LUBAO, Pampanga – Harmie Constantino unleashed another trademark finishing kick, birdieing four of her last seven holes to deliver a three-under 69 and force a tie with the steady Yvon Bisera at the start of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Championship here on Tuesday, July 7.

Constantino looked headed for another slow start after bogeys on Nos. 3 and 6 erased an opening-hole birdie, but the Caliraya Springs champion caught fire on the back nine. She birdied Nos. 12 and 13 before closing with another back-to-back birdie run from No. 16 for a 32 and catch Bisera at the top.

Bisera, meanwhile, put together the steadiest round on a hot, humid day. She snapped a run of pars with birdies Nos. 9, 11 and 14, threatening to pull away before settling for a 35-34 card and a share of the lead.

One stroke behind at 70 was Chihiro Ikeda, who also produced a late charge, birdieing two of her last five holes to stay within striking distance heading into the second round.

Pinewoods leg champion Chanelle Avaricio likewise remained firmly in contention despite an early stumble. After a bogey on the sixth, she responded with birdies on Nos. 13 and 18 to save a 71 and keep her bid for back-to-back titles alive in the P750,000 fourth leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“I didn’t really hit a lot of greens on the front nine, but I made up for it with birdies on the back,” said Constantino, who birdied four of her last six holes, all from inside 10 feet.

“I didn’t get off to a good start, so I wasn’t expecting to score well because I wasn’t making birdies in the opening holes,” she said after overcoming a sluggish start, the sweltering heat and late-afternoon gusts.

“It was really hot throughout the day, although the wind picked up over the last couple of holes, which made the course a lot tougher,” added Constantino, who rallied in the final to tie for second with Tiffany Lee at Pinewoods last week.

Despite the challenging conditions, Constantino stayed patient and capitalized on her opportunities down the stretch, putting herself in prime position heading into the final 36 holes.

Looking ahead to a second-round duel with Bisera, the multi-titled former Order of Merit champion said she intends to stick to a simple game plan.

“I’ll just enjoy my game, stay patient and try to hit as many fairways as I can,” said Constantino, who believes consistency off the tee will be key in the last two rounds.

]Bisera, meanwhile, turned in a gutsy performance despite nursing a left-hand injury she sustained last week.

“I sprained my left hand last week. It’s getting better, but I still feel pain whenever I hit my irons,” she said in Filipino. “I just played steady and didn’t try to force anything.”

The injury hardly showed as she stayed within striking distance, relying on smart course management rather than power to remain in contention.

After finishing 10th at Pinewoods, Bisera admitted that courses with significant elevation changes do not suit her game, saying she feels much more comfortable on flatter layouts.

“The course reminds me a bit of South Pacific,” she said, referring to her home course in Davao. “I’m also quite familiar with the greens because I played here recently.”

Like Constantino, Bisera said she plans to remain patient and stick to her steady approach over the final two rounds.

“I’ll just keep playing steady and hopefully the pain goes away so I can drive the ball harder,” she added.

Ikeda, for her part, credited her short game for keeping her in the title hunt despite arriving without a practice round.

“I didn’t get to play a practice round here, but my chipping and putting really clicked,” said the veteran campaigner seeking to end a lengthy title drought. “It was extremely hot, but it was manageable. I just stayed focused on making solid shots.”

She added that sharp execution around the greens helped offset any unfamiliarity with the course, giving her confidence heading into the final two rounds.

Kristine Fleetwood and Martina Miñoza shared fifth place at 73, although they arrived there in contrasting fashion. Fleetwood recovered with birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 after a shaky front nine, while Miñoza slipped from a promising position with back-to-back bogeys from No. 15.

Last year's third-place finisher Daniella Uy also fought back after a disastrous stretch. Four bogeys in her first six holes threatened to derail her campaign before birdies on Nos. 7 and 16 enabled her to salvage a 74 and remain within striking distance.

Tiffany Lee likewise recovered from an erratic round with consecutive birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to card a 75 and join Princess Superal in a tie. Superal struggled throughout, failing to make a birdie in a 37-38 effort.

Monica Mandario grabbed the early spotlight by scoring an ace on the 170-yard No. 2, using a 7-iron and a Titleist No. 2 ball, and bouncing back after an opening double-bogey. However, her first career hole-in-one failed to ignite a spark as she stumbled with four consecutive bogeys immediately after and ultimately finished with a 77.