Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan parted ways at the conclusion of the second round of the 2021 ANA Inspiration Golf Tournament, Saturday morning (Manila time) at the Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage in California.
Saso, who opened the tournament with a good 3-under 69, had an up-and-down day to finish with a 1-under 71 or 4-under 140 overall. The 2018 Asian Games champion found herself trailing leader Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand by five strokes.
The 19-year-old Filipino-Japanese opened the round with a birdie and another bogey in the second and third holes, before eventually ending the front nine with a three-shot take on No.4 to end the side at 1-under 35 or 4-under overall.
Saso then took the par-4 No. 10 in three strokes, but then canceled it out with a 13th hole bogey. Another birdie-bogey combo that happened in the 15th and 18th holes ended the JLPGA rookie’s day at 1-under 71.
On the other hand, Bianca Pagdanganan’s relatively better day went for naught as she missed the cut in her return to the LPGA competitions this year.
The tour rookie started strong once more with back-to-back birdies in Nos. 10 and 11, only she was pushed back with two consecutive bogeys in 13th and 14th.
Two birdies in No. 18 and then no. 4 was not enough to put her past the cut, as a double bogey in the 17th closed her round and her campaign.
Nonetheless, Pagdanganan finally clinched points on the Race to CME Globe Championships later in the season as she is projected to get into a tie at 122nd.
The lone Filipino remaining Saso will continue her tournament on Saturday here in southern California as the final two rounds roll on.
