Avaricio holds off Bisera by one stroke at Summit Point

Chanelle Avaricio turned a comfortable advantage into a tense finish before securing a one-stroke victory at the ICTSI Summit Point Championship in Lipa City, Batangas, on Thursday.

The 27-year-old Filipino carded a final-round 68 to finish at four-under 212, earning the P125,000 prize and her second Ladies Philippine Golf Tour title of the season. Yvon Bisera, who began the day six shots behind, produced the best round of the tournament—a 66—to finish at 213 and nearly overturn the deficit.

Avaricio’s closing par was enough to deny Bisera a third victory this season. The result also gave Avaricio a measure of recovery after she missed the cut at a China LPGA Tour event the previous week.

A decisive front nine

The final round initially appeared to be developing into a contest between Avaricio and Apple Fudolin, who had challenged for the lead throughout the week. The pair traded birdies at the second and third holes, preserving Avaricio’s narrow advantage.

The balance shifted when Fudolin dropped shots at the fifth and seventh. Avaricio responded by making birdie at the eighth and ninth, reaching the turn in 32 and stretching her lead over Fudolin to four strokes.

The course offered better scoring conditions than it had earlier in the tournament. The wind, which had complicated play during the first two rounds, was less influential in the morning, while softened fairways and greens allowed players to attack more aggressively. Avaricio took advantage of the opportunities without forcing the issue when pars were the better option.

Fudolin could not produce another rally, leaving the chasing players to battle for the remaining places. Seoyun Kim, Tiffany Lee, Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio and Bisera stayed within reach, while Harmie Constantino—who started only four shots off the pace—was unable to seriously threaten the lead.

Bisera changes the shape of the contest

Bisera supplied the drama from the group ahead. Her 66 erased most of the gap over the back nine, reducing a six-shot deficit to one with nine holes still remaining in Avaricio’s round.

That charge transformed the tournament. What had looked like a controlled march to victory became a test of whether Avaricio could protect her advantage under pressure. After the explosive start, she became more cautious on the back nine and finished that side of the course at even par.

Avaricio’s task was not to match Bisera’s pace but to avoid surrendering the final stroke. She reached the 18th needing only a steady finish and completed the hole with two putts for par. Only then could she celebrate a title that had become uncertain during the closing stretch.

Philstar.com reported that Avaricio said she concentrated on each shot rather than assuming the championship was already secure. Her approach was particularly important on a course where the final result remained vulnerable to a late run.

The victory carried added significance because Summit Point is familiar territory for Avaricio. She serves as the course’s golf ambassador and knows the layout well, making the win both a home-course success and a response to her disappointing result in China.

Ababa takes third

Ababa’s final-round 69 moved her into third place at 215. Lee and Kim shared fourth at 216 after each shot 70.

Fudolin, unable to sustain the challenge she mounted early in the round, returned a 73 and fell to sixth at 218. The result left Avaricio with a narrow but valuable margin over a field that had repeatedly threatened to close in.

Her earlier victory came at the Pinewoods tournament in July, where she prevailed in a tightly contested event. The Summit Point triumph now gives her two wins this season and reinforces her position among the leading players on the local women’s circuit.

For Bisera, the runner-up finish showed the strength of her recovery but ended her attempt to add another title to the season. For Avaricio, the closing par mattered as much as the birdies that created her lead: the championship was won by building separation early and preserving just enough of it at the end.