BIANCA Pagdanganan’s recent LPGA outing has been eerily familiar. It’s boom or bust and Sunday, it was bust again although she can claim a small victory because she made it to the weekend.
After sharing the lead by firing a four-under-par 68 in the first round of the Mexico Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba, it was thought that the 27-year-old had finally found her groove and was ready for a big career push.
But it was not meant to be. She followed her big round with scores of 74-72-74 to finish the tournament even par and a tie for 26th place.
Pagdanganan did earn $21,499 (about Php 1.1 million) for her best finish this season as she has made only two cuts in seven outings on the tour.
No reason to get dismayed though and just accept these days happen. There are more tournaments, more rounds to play as life and golf go on.
Chisato Iwai of Japan won the tournament after making five birdies in her opening six holes for a 6-under 66 and a six-shot victory.
Iwai, 22, led from the opening hole at El Camaleon when she made birdie and Jenny Bae, the overnight leader, made bogey. The win made her the third LPGA rookie to win this season. She finished at 12 under with her total of 276.
Tabuena ties for 15th in Korea Open
At the Kolon Korea Open of the Asian Tour, Miguel Tabuena tied for 15th after a closing-round 73 at the Dunes Course La Vie Est Belle golf club.
Tabuena tried lurking around after a 70 in the first round and 69 in the third but, rounds of 74 and 73 in the second and last rounds did him in.
He finished nine strokes behind winner Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand who finally ended a three-year waitafter a tight battle with countryman Poom Saksansin, whom he beat by two shots after shooting a one-under-par 70. He finished seven-under for the tournament.
The other Filipino in the tournament, Justin Quiban, missed the cut after rounds of 74-73, five-over par. The cut was at four over par.
Malixi, Ardina banner Ph in U.S Women’s Open
Rianne Malixi will make a return to top-level competition when she competes in this week’s US Open Women’s championship at Erin Hills Golf Club in Wisconsin.
She will be joined there by veteran Dottie Ardina who earned a ticket to the most prestigious women’s golf championship after joining a qualifying tournament.
Ardina was the first alternate but got in after a qualifier withdrew. This will be her third US Open. She had made the cut in two.
Also in the tournament is defending champion Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso, 23, the youngest to win two US Open titles.
Saso, who captured her first US Open title in 2021, has not won any other LPGA event. She will be gunning for her third and what a story it would be if she does.
Malixi, meanwhile, is hoping to make a strong return after withdrawing from the Asia-Pacific Women’s Amateur and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April, after hurting her back.
She has not been in any competition since but her team said her back problem has been solved.
This will be her first US Women’s Open and got in after victories in the 2024 US women’s Amateur and US Girls’ Junior, only the second player to score such a double in history.
Juvic, Corpus share 21st in ADT Thailand event
Juvic Pagunsan and Carl Corpuz, meanwhile, tied for 21st place in the Asian Development Tour’s Phuket Open in Thailand last Sunday.
Pagunsan, who is in and out of the Japan Tour, shot a 68 while Corpus had a one-over-par 71 and both were at minus 3 in the 54-hole event that serves as stepping stone to regular Asian Tour membership.
In the same event, Sean Ramos shot a final round 76 and tied for 38th while Aidric Chan had a 73 for a share of 54th spot.
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