Bisera, Constantino eye second win amid Pinewoods perils
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – After a heart-stopping three-way playoff sparked the season and a dominant blowout defined the next, the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour braces for a chaotic collision of both worlds. The circuit’s third leg promises high drama, but past forms may mean very little as a compact, stellar field collides with the ultimate wild card – an unfamiliar, unpredictable and unforgiving Pinewoods layout.
The ICTSI Pinewoods Challenge blasts off Tuesday, June 30, featuring headliners Yvon Bisera and Harmie Constantino, both hungry to become the season's first two-time winners. Yet, standing in their way is a hungry pack of elites, including Princess Superal, Sarah Ababa, Chanelle Avaricio, Mafy Singson, Tiffany Lee and Daniella Uy — all determined to break into the winner's circle in this early stretch of the 10-stage circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.
Bisera outlasted Ababa and Lois Kaye Go in a dramatic sudden-death playoff to capture the season opener at Lakewood in Cabanatuan City last March. She, along with Uy, Avaricio and Singson, then took her sharp game to the China LPGA Tour with the Davaoeña ace nearly snatching a second overseas crown, falling just one stroke short at the Singapore Ladies Masters recently.
"The course is very challenging, but I think it will be fun because no one has an advantage, so it's anybody's game," said Bisera. "I just need to focus on my short game since distance won't be much of an advantage here."
That razor-sharp momentum makes her a marked player in the P1 million championship. But standing directly in her path is Constantino, whose commanding six-shot romp over Singson at Caliraya Springs last month didn’t just signal a return to form, but also served notice that she wants her throne back.
Constantino dominated the tour with four victories en route to the Order of Merit (OOM) title in 2024, only to suffer a frustrating, winless downswing last season that tested both her swing and her psyche.
After diligent recalibration, the hard work is paying dividends. Following a fourth-place finish at Lakewood, Constantino shattered her title drought in style at Caliraya.
"It has been a lot different since I changed a lot with how I play and I think mentally,” said Constantino.
Despite the momentum of Bisera and Constantino, this week is far from a two-horse race. Pinewoods is the ultimate equalizer. Perched in the mountains, the rolling course features dramatic elevation changes, tight fairways, and unpredictable greens. It is a track that punishes brute force and fiercely demands pinpoint shot-making, disciplined course management and a masterful mental strategy.
An army of proven champions is ready to exploit any misstep by the leaders, headed by Princess Superal, who is back from a competitive stint on the Japan Step Up Tour, eager to re-establish her dominance on local soil.
Lee, who burst onto the LPGT scene by winning the Lakewood Championship as a junior in 2024 before marking her pro debut with a victory at Splendido Taal, endured a dip in form over the past several months. But after putting in the hard work to rebuild her game, she's eager to show the results this week.
“I've heard from a lot of the more experienced players that Pinewoods is one of the toughest courses we play – and I love a good challenge,” said Lee. “It's the kind of course that really makes you think. You can't just rely on your swing – you have to be smart, stick to the right strategy and play each hole according to its own character.”
For Superal, precision will be crucial on a course where firm, fast greens leave little room for error.
"I think the course is very challenging. The greens are firm and tricky, so it's important to place the ball well,” said Superal.
Ababa, the reigning OOM champion, is out to assert her supremacy after a heartbreaking playoff loss and a fourth-place finish in the first two legs, while Singson is hunting for a massive rebound after falling well short of Constantino at Caliraya.
With dangerous threats like Uy, Avaricio and Lee, alongside veterans and rising stars Marvi Monsalve, Seoyun Kim, Chihiro Ikeda, Martina Miñoza and Pamela Mariano, the battle for the crown is entirely up for grabs.
Add in a highly motivated spoiler crew looking to stir up trouble, including Kayla Nocum, Gretchen Villacencio, Kristine Fleetwood, Apple Fudolin, Velinda Castil, Rev Alcantara, Monica Mandario, Angela Mangana, Japanese standout Aina Onishi, and lone amateur Jules Gaerlan — and the race for history as the first-ever Pinewoods champion promises to be a riveting, edge-of-your-seat thriller from the very first drive to the last putt. (Pool story)
- Latest
- Trending
