BIANCA Pagdanganan provides the star power to a top-notch field in the Anvaya Cove Ladies International beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, in Morong, Bataan, delighted with her return to the local golf scene after a long absence and thrilled to compete in her first pro tournament in the country.
“I’m excited and looking forward to playing my first professional event in the Philippines,” said Pagdanganan, who led the country’s sweep of the individual and team gold medals in the 2019 SEA Games at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac before launching her pro career in the LPGA Tour in 2020.
With her immense power and talent, the Tokyo Olympian made an immediate impact in the world’s premier circuit, posting a joint ninth finish in a Major — the Women’s PGA Championship — while emerging as one of the Tour’s longest hitters. She made the cut nine times in 10 events, kept her card in 2021 and finished tied for 10th in the LPGA Q-Series for Tour membership in 2022.
The University of Arizona product, however, struggled in the past season and fell short of her bid in the Q-Series, relegating her to the Epson Tour, which starts next month in Florida.
For the 25-year-old ace, the road back to the LPGA Tour begins at home as she spearheads the local challenge against a host of aces from Taiwan in the $100,000 championship sponsored by ICTSI co-sanctioned by the Taiwan LPGA Tour, led by No. 1 Ya-Chun Chang.
“I’m eager to be playing competitive again and to be able to play in front of a home crowd,” she added.
Pagdanganan is bracing for a showdown with Chang, who joined the Arizona Wildcats for the 2018-19 season when the former played out her senior year.
“Chang was my teammate in college and I am good friends with her,” said Pagdanganan.
“It’s always a pleasure playing with top players from each country as it brings out the best in us.”
With Thailand’s No. 2 PK Kongkraphan standing at the forefront of the country’s perennial rivals’ charge, Pagdanganan and the rest of the locals, including Chanelle Avaricio, Harmie Constantino and Chihiro Ikeda, face a daunting test in the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. that which kicks off the new LPGT season.
“I haven’t played with a lot of them in a while, so I’m looking forward to being in the same field as them,” said Pagdanganan when asked of her thoughts on playing with the locals in a premier championship. “There’s so much talent in Philippine women’s golf.”
