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Bianca bombards with 65 solid, breaks into Top 24
MANILA, Philippines – Facing elimination in her first Major Test, Bianca Pagdanganan overcame it with flying colors behind a performance that perhaps deserved not just a second look, but also a total focus on the best of the rest.
The spunky Filipina rode a fiery four-birdie rearload in stormy conditions and finished with a bogey-free 65 of minus 5, rebounding strong from the brink of ejection after a 77 to tie 24 at the PGA Championship halfway. KPMA Women’s Newport. Square, Pennsylvania on Friday.
She stayed within six strokes of South Korea’s new leader Sei Young Kim, but the way she designed that scorching rally in tough conditions on a field that punishes even the slightest mistake spoke well of the caliber and character of a player who finishes entering his fifth tournament. on the largest golf stage in the world.
“I thought a little less,” Pagdanganan told The STAR. “It wasn’t as mechanical (as in the first round) and I just trusted my swing and where I wanted to hit my shots.”
In fact, a horrendous seven-plus starting card in the majors could be enough to break a rookie confidence. But the ICTSI-backed ace proved she’s made of tougher material, producing that mind-blowing round that earned her not just a spot on the weekend’s play, but a championship shot as well.
“I just try to play my game and not force anything. My putt was good and saved a lot of pairs, ”said Pagdanganan.
Actually, he barely advanced in the rankings despite a frontal play from a bass with an 18-foot birdie putt at No. 3. But after he birdied No. 11 from four feet and added another on the Par 3 14 from 10 feet, he harnessed his power again to birdie the par 5 16 from two feet off a 45-foot eagle and then capped his brilliant ghost-free round with another 10-foot birdie on the par 3 17.
“In general, everything seemed to work well,” he added.
It sure did.
That 12-shot course turnaround turned out to be the best on a day of fortunes and was one of only three five-under-par cards to occur at the Aronimink Golf Club course, par 70, raked by the wind, the two others posted by Kim and American Jennifer Kupcho, who grabbed 1-2 spots in the $ 4.3 million event.
From below the cutoff line at 113 tied after 18 holes, the 22-year-old Pagdanganan was now in the Top 24 at 142, still far behind Kim’s 136, but good enough to be in. the jumble of a leaderboard full of imaginary names. and a series of rising stars with 36 holes to play in one of the major championships on the LPGA Tour.
The circuit’s driving leader, unable to get going despite throwing a 291-yard norm off the tee in the first game, toned down with her power and settled for a 267-yard clip, still not enough. solid enough to improve his 7 of 14 season off the mound on Thursday. But he came out with a superb set of irons and missed just four greens after hitting just nine in the first round and then finished with 28 putts, four better than the day before.
Pagdanganan’s big rebound also maintained her perfect pro stint in terms of making the cut, as she reached the final two rounds for the fifth event in a row, this time looking good and ready to improve on her best result tied for 28th on the LPGA. Drive On Championship in Ohio last July.
Kim, for her part, highlighted her own version of a 65 with five birdies in the final six holes as she snatched control from Kupcho, who also shot a solid 32-33 card, just behind at 137, the same departure from Sweden’s Anna. Nordqvist. , who shot a 68, and Daniella Kang from the American and Spanish Carlota Ciganda, who shot 69.
Dottie Ardina, however, was unable to recover from a starting 76 with a 77 for 153 and missed the cut set at 146.
In Japan, a storm forced the cancellation of the second round of Stanley Ladies Golf Saturday, narrowing the event to 36 holes with money leader Yuka Saso four behind a group of leaders with a 75 start at Tomei Country Club in the Shizuoka prefecture.
Na-Ri Lee, Mayu Hamada, Hina Arakaki, Naruha Miyata, Miyu Yamashita, Saki Asai and Miyu Shinkai shot 71s to take command with favorite player of the year Sakura Koiwai and five other people one shot behind with 72s.
The Korean Au-Reum Hwang, who ruled this event reduced to 27 holes also due to adverse weather conditions last year, loaded a 73 for the 14 set.
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