Pagdanganan continues to climb on LPGA, finishes third

Washington – Filipino rookie Bianca Pagdanganan continued to make waves in the LPGA with a third-place finish in the Drive On Championship, just two shots behind American Ally McDonald, who celebrated her 28th birthday Sunday by winning her first LPGA title.

Pagdanganan, 22, world No. 233 and the LPGA’s driving distance leader in his sixth professional start, shot 70 to finish third with 274. He still made $ 83,557 or P4,027,447.4. Asian Games champion Pagdanganan began to gain attention at the KPMG PGA Women’s Championship on October 11 when she finished tied for ninth place. World No. 62 McDonald shot a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to finish 72 holes at Reynolds Lake Oconee with 272-of-16-under for an extra special birthday treat, capturing the title by a blow over his compatriot. American Danielle Kang. She finished her final round bogey-free, but her flawless start, capped by back-to-back birdies at par 3 17 and par 5 18, simply couldn’t take her to the top. American Mina Harigae and Spain’s Carlota Ciganda shared fourth place with 275. “It’s definitely towards the top, that’s for sure,” McDonald said. McDonald’s previous best result on the LPGA was third at last year’s Shoprite Classic. “I have never doubted my ability, but it is very difficult to win here,” McDonald said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I held out and was very happy to get a win.” Fifth-ranked Kang cut her lead from four shots to a single shot in the last nine, but settled for second after shooting 68 to finish with 273. “It shook me quite a bit,” McDonald said. “I had to recover and control my heart rate. “I knew Danielle was going to put the pedal to the metal. I told myself that I should calm down and do what I have been doing, follow my game plan and control what I can. “I was happy to hang on and get it out, just the stamina I have.” Kang was originally supposed to have been seeking a third consecutive LPGA crown in Shanghai this week before Covid-19 destroyed the event, leading to the creation of this week’s tournament. McDonald birdied the fourth par 3 and made the turn with a two-shot lead over Pagdanganan and Kang. She then sank a 12-foot birdie putt in the 10th to launch a streak of three straight birdies that left her at 17-under with a four-shot lead. Kang fired a 10-foot birdie at par 4 13 while McDonald missed a pair of five feet, his lead cut in half with five holes remaining. Kang curled up on a tricky 12-foot downhill birdie putt at par 3 14, going 15 under to get close to one with his third birdie in four holes. At 15, the most difficult hole on the course for the week, Kang went over the green, shot to five feet but missed his par putt and fell back two with three to play. McDonald birdied at par 3 16 but missed a seven-foot putt for par at par 3 17 to keep the lead to two toward par 5 18. McDonald approached the green at last and Kang raised his Eagle attempt to barely miss the rim of the cup. He birdied, but McDonald made two putts for par and won. “I tried,” Kang said.