Pagdanganan makes big leap in world rankings

MANILA, Philippines — Bianca Pagdanganan, who came into the Women’s PGA Championship way down at No. 712 in the world rankings, came out of it at No. 234, posting a massive leap of 478 rungs to shatter the previous best of 280 made by German Sophia Popov in her British Women’s Open romp last August.

The Filipina rookie, also the LPGA Tour’s driving leader with 286.206-yard norm, birdied the 72nd hole of the Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania last Sunday and turned in a breakthrough joint ninth finish in her major debut.

The feat also netted her a coveted berth in the Tour’s next major – the US Women’s Open on Dec. 10-13 at the Champions Golf Club in Houston.

Meanwhile, the ICTSI-backed ace hopes her record surge in the world ranking would merit her a spot in the next Tour event, the LPGA Drive On Championship in Greensboro, Georgia on Oct. 22-25.

“I’m still waiting on the next tournament in Georgia since I’m third alternate,” said Pagdanganan, who started out at No. 798 in her Tour debut in the Drive On Championship in Ohio last July where she tied for 28th. She hardly moved to No. 733 with a tied for 59th finish in the Marathon Classic, also in Ohio, last August, ended at joint 71st in the Walmart NW Arkansas in Arizona, also last August, and dropped to No. 749, then shared 64th place in the Portland Classic in Oregon last month.

She made the cut in her first four LPGA events.

Popov, 27, was ranked No. 304 before the British Open but her two-stroke triumph over Thai Jasmine Suwannapura enabled her to climb to No. 24 for a 280-rung leap, according to Golfworld.

American Meaghan Francella, then ranked No. 330, set the previous biggest jump in rankings when she ruled the LPGA Tour’s MasterCard Classic in 2007, gaining 253 rungs to No. 77.