Villacencio, Bisera rule Sta. Rosa match play

Arnold Villacencio (left) and Florence Bisera show off their trophies. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

STA. ROSA, LAGUNA—Arnold Villacencio and Florence Bisera captured the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, at the ICTSI The Country Club Match Play Invitational on Friday.

Villacencio, 55, defeated Albin Engino via a 4&3 victory that marked a triumphant end to a ten-year title drought. He later credited his daughter Gretchen for reigniting his determination during a physically grueling tournament.

“I still can’t believe that I won,” he said, emphasizing the pivotal role of his daughter’s encouragement in his semifinal comeback against Hyun Ho Rho. Facing a three-hole deficit, Villacencio rallied to win 2-up, setting the stage for his unexpected championship run.

The victory, worth P280,000, capped a dramatic season-ending championship with Engino, who upset tournament favorite Jay Bayron in the semifinals, earning P200,000 as runnerup.

Meanwhile, in the women’s division, Florence Bisera defeated defending champion Mikha Fortuna 2&1 to clinch her second career title. Bisera leaned on her father Reynaldo, who served as her caddie and emotional anchor throughout the tournament.

“My Papa was a big help because he helped me control my emotions,” Bisera said after the victory.

The 25-year-old from Davao capitalized on Fortuna’s sluggish start to gain an early lead, displaying precision and poise despite rain complicating the final stretch. A brilliant birdie on the 16th hole gave Bisera a crucial two-hole cushion, which she maintained to secure the title and its P280,000 prize.