Pagdanganan tops in driving, ties for 28th

MANILA, Philippines – Bianca Pagdanganan made quite an impact in her LPGA Tour debut, emerging No. 1 in driving while finishing joint 28th with a second straight 73 in the Drive On Championship won by world No. 4 Danielle Kang in Toledo, Ohio Sunday.

The long-hitting Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist kept her mastery of Inverness Club’s three par-5s, birdying all but one for the second straight day, while gaining another stroke on the par-3 12th. But she likewise kept her three-day struggle on the demanding par-4s, yielding four strokes for another 37-36 card in another tough, changing conditions.

Counting her opening 74, where she went four-under on the long holes, the US-based Filipina shotmaker, who normed an impressive 295-yard driving distance in three days, pooled a 220 to end up tied with 11 others at 28th. She took her first paycheck of $6,862.

“Overall, it was a good experience although I wish I could’ve done better,” Pagdanganan told The STAR. “I played in tough conditions so I’m satisfied with how I finished.”

She beat Maria Fassi (290) and Anne Van Dam (286) for driving honors.

The 22-year-old Univ. of Arizona product hopes to do better in the Marathon Classic, the last of back-to-back championships in Ohio marking the return of the circuit after a long break due to pandemic. The $2 million event unfolds Thursday in Sylvania.

“I guess I could’ve hit more greens. I wasn’t hitting that great so hopefully my ball-striking gets better in the Marathon Classic,” said Pagdanganan, who also posted a 71.11 percent driving accuracy for No. 94.

But she struggled in other facets of the game, ending up No. 152 in greens in regulation (57.41%), No. 72 in putting per GIR (1.81) and No. 172 in sand saves (14.29%).

Eight behind the joint leaders after 36 holes, the 2017 Philippine Ladies Open champion gained early grounds with a birdie on No. 2, only to reel back just as quickly with bogeys on Nos. 4, 7 and 10. She recovered a bit with back-to-back birdies from No. 12 to move to joint 20th but fell off the standings again with a bogey on No. 16.

Kang, meanwhile, bucked a late bogey on a par-5 then pounced on Frenchwoman Celine Boutier’s costly bogey and a missed putt on the final hole to pound out a one-stroke victory in the $1 million event on a closing 70 for a 209 worth $150,000.

Boutier tied Kang after the latter bogeyed No. 13 but the former flubbed a short par-putt on No. 15 to fall by one. Boutier then stuffed a solid approach shot on the last hole to four feet below the cup but missed the putt — and the playoff, enabling Kang to snatch the victory.

Boutier ended up with a 71 for 210 while Aussie Minjee Lee shot a 70 to finish third at 212.

Fil-Am Clariss Guce tied for 64th at 224 after a 76.