JUVIC Pagunsan formally booked a place in the Tokyo Olympics following the release of the Olympic Golf Ranking (OGR) on Monday night.
Pagunsan finished at No. 49 in the OGR to become the 13th Filipino athlete to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics by being inside the top 60 of the qualification procedure.
Pagunsan, a regular in the Japan Tour, joined 2016 weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Caloy Yulo, boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam, pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, skateboarder Margielyn Didal, and weightlifter Elreen Ando.
Jayson Valdez of shooting recently obtained a spot in the Olympics through a quota system being implemented by the international federation.
The 43-year-old Pagunsan, who ended a ong drought in the Japan Tour by winning the 2021 Mizuno Open, will be a longshot in a field that includes recently-crowned US Open champion Jon Rahm and Masters titlist Hideki Matsuyama.
Saso, Pagdanganan in line for Tokyo, too
Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan, meanwhile, will also formally clinch the Tokyo berth when it releases the final OGR rankings on June 29.
Saso, who captured a historic victory in the US Women’s Open, is currently ranked No. 9 in the OGR while Pagdanganan is at No. 42.
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