Bianca, Yuka stumble in LPGA bid

MANILA, Philippines – Bianca Pagdanganan and Yuka Saso failed to mount a charge in the pivotal round and saw their LPGA Tour card bids diminish with mediocre outputs with one round left in the Qualifying Stage II in Venice, Florida Wednesday.

Pagdanganan, who fueled her drive with a solid 68 in the second that moved her joint 28th, never got to rebound from two bogeys in the first four holes at the backside of the Panther course of Plantation Golf and Country Club, finishing with a 74 that dropped her to a share of 43rd at 215 after 54 holes of play.

Only the top 30 plus ties will advance to the final stage of the three-part elims leading to coveted 2020 LPGA Tour cards with the Pinay aces needing to turn in low rounds in the final day to keep their slim chances.

Saso salvaged a 72 at the Bobcat layout but the reigning Asian Games gold medalist hardly moved at joint 89th at 218, five strokes off the projected cutoff line.

Thai Prima Thammaraks fired a third straight 68 to grab the lead at 204, now two-up on first day leader Olivia Cowan of Germany, who carded a 70 for a 206.

Pagdanganan, who topped Stage I in Rancho Mirage, California last August, birdied No. 15 but dropped strokes on Nos. 1 and 4 and needed to birdie the fifth to save a two-over card.

Just two shots off target, the country’s spearhead in next month’s SEA Games hopes to settle down and recover her rhythm and bearing in the last 18 holes in a bid to crash into the elite group that will vie in the Q-Series on Oct. 23-Nov. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

So does Saso, who drew a bye in Stage I by virtue of her top 20 ranking in world amateurs but the Fil-Japanese hasn’t been able to flaunt her skills and talent coming off a long break.