Bianca Pagdanganan pulled off a great finish to open her 2021 Meijer LPGA Classic campaign on a good note with a 2-under 70 at the Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thursday.
The reigning Asian Games champion faltered big time in the third round of her most recent tournament, the Mediheal Championship. A good performance in her first-round here would be welcome.
Pagdanganan, however, encountered a roadblock in her second hole. She needed an extra shot to finish it off, putting her at 1-over.
Nonetheless, the 23-year-old tour rookie settled down to take pars across the board, entering the clubhouse with a manageable 1-over 37 scoreline.
The 2018 NCAA champion found that birdie in the 12th hole, canceling the earlier bogey to put her back at even. She then finished the round with two birdies, with one at her very last hole, the No.18.
The other two Filipinos, Dottie Ardina and Clariss Guce, are also in the thick of the fight in the tournament.
Guce had an up-and-down round, but managed to tie Pagdanganan at 2-under. The 31-year-old closed out the round with back-to-back birdies for the final count.
On the other hand, Ardina — who missed the cut in that same Daly City tournament — finished well in the first round. She is within striking distance of progressing at 1-under 71.
Four golfers share the lead at 7-under 65, including Saso’s US Open opponent Nasa Hataoka and Ireland’s Leona Maguire.
The championship continues on Friday, and will carry on until the weekend in this western Michigan city.
