THE STRONG finish did not come as Bianca Pagdanganan faltered with a six-over 78 to wind up at joint 41st in the KPMG Women’s Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Championship Sunday in Sammamish, Washington, US.
After a pair of 72s and a 74 in the first three days, Ms. Pagdanganan limped with a 39-39 in the final push and finished way off first-time major winner Korean Amy Yang of Korea.
At 296, Ms. Pagdanganan was 15 strokes behind Ms. Yang, who tallied a winning 281 after a closing 72 and completed a three-shot triumph over American Lilia Vu (71) and compatriot Jin Young Ko (71).
Ms. Pagdanganan, whose eagle on the second hole and lone birdie on No. 18 couldn’t save a fourth-round stint at the Sahalee Country Club marred by nine bogeys, earned $46,524 (approximately P2.7 million).
The power-hitting Ms. Pagdanganan, backed by ICTSI, landed 27 spots higher than Filipina-Japanese Yuka Saso, who coughed up a closing 75 featuring four bogeys and a double bogey against three birdies for a 301.
Still, the joint 58th placing earned reigning US Women’s Open titlist Ms. Saso $21,189 (approximately P1.24 million).
Mmess. Pagdanganan and Saso as well as Dottie Ardina who missed the weekend play in this $10.4 million major, are expected to make the 60-player cut in the Paris Olympics as the qualification period ended Monday.
Prior to the KPMG, Ms. Pagdanganan sits at 35th in the Women’s Olympic Golf Rankings, Ms. Ardina at 55th, and Ms. Saso, who will be representing Japan this time after competing for the Philippines in the Tokyo Games, at sixth. — Olmin Leyba
