PAULINE del Rosario emerged slightly steadier than Harmie Constantino and Florence Bisera in a turbulent finish, salvaging a gritty 73 to forge a three-way tie for the lead heading into the final 18 holes of the ICTSI Ladies Villamor Philippine Masters yesterday.
That set the stage for a day-long battle of wits and nerves among three of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour’s top players. Del Rosario, trailing for much of the round, managed to limit her mistakes to just one bogey in the last four holes, finishing with nines of 37-36 round and putting herself in contention for another Tour crown.
Constantino, who erased a three-stroke deficit overnight with a frontside 35, faltered down the stretch with bogeys on No. 15 and a double bogey on the next hole to card a 74. Despite this, she remained on track for a third consecutive victory on a course she knows well, having triumphed in the Match Play Championship and in this event the past two years.
Bisera reeled back with a 39 after nine holes but regained the lead momentarily despite a bogey on the 15th. However, she slipped into a tie for the lead with a last-hole mishap, finishing with 77.
“I haven’t hit many fairways since the first round. My game hasn’t been at its best this week, which is why I struggled a lot,” Constantino admitted after opening her title-retention bid with a 73 last Wednesday.
“I didn’t really hit many fairways early on in the round,” she rued.
Constantino worked her way to the top with an impressive one-under card on the front nine. Despite a bogey on No. 10 and a birdie on the 12th, she struggled to maintain her lead, faltering towards the end.
