Shaky finish drops Pagdanganan to joint 39th after 69

MANILA, Philippines -- Bianca Pagdanganan wavered at the finish and settled for a three-under 69, slipping into a share of 39th but remaining comfortably within the projected cut line after the opening round of the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic on Friday (Saturday Manila time) in Pendleton, Oregon.

With virtually no wind to provide resistance on the par-72 Wildhorse Golf Course, scoring turned into a birdie fest, led by Australian Caitlin Peirce, who fired a blistering 63 built on 10 birdies against a lone bogey.

Peirce held a one-stroke lead over five players, including South Africa’s Kaleigh Telfer, while four more players carded 65s. Another 11, led by Liqi Zeng and Lauren Olivares, posted 66s, leaving a tightly bunched leaderboard heading into the final 36 holes of the $250,000 Epson Tour event.

Pagdanganan appeared headed for another strong start as she birdied four of her first 14 holes, raising hopes of a bounce-back performance following her disappointing second-round meltdown in last week’s LPGA Portland Classic. The ICTSI-backed big hitter opened that tournament with a 66 but followed it with a 75 and failed to make the cut.

This time, however, Pagdanganan’s momentum stalled late.

She bogeyed the par-4 15th, regained the stroke with a birdie on No. 17, then gave it right back with another bogey on the final hole to finish with a 34-35 card.

Despite the late stumble, Pagdanganan emerged as the best-performing Filipina and stayed in position to advance, with the second round set to determine the final 18-hole field.

Dottie Ardina carded an even-par 72 but found herself below the projected cut line in a tie for 92nd after a costly double bogey on the par-3 eighth. She recovered in style, however, stringing together back-to-back birdies from No. 10 to salvage her round.

Tomi Arejola also endured a roller-coaster day, opening her back nine with consecutive bogeys from No. 11 before fighting back with three birdies against two more bogeys. She finished with a 37-36 (73) and stood in a tie for 109th.

Pauline del Rosario likewise shot a one-over card after a rough start. She bogeyed the second hole and dropped two more strokes on the par-4 third before mounting a mini-rally with birdies on Nos. 9 and 13. She will need another solid round to keep her hopes alive.

Two-time Epson Tour winner Clariss Guce also carded a 73, making two birdies but giving back three strokes through bogeys as the four Filipinas outside Pagdanganan fight to survive the cut.

Over on the LPGA Tour, two-time US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso continued to struggle, missing the cut in the CPKC Women’s Open in Alberta, Canada on Friday (Saturday in Manila).

Saso followed an opening 71 with a 75 at the par-70 Royal Mayfair Golf Club in Edmonton, finishing with a 146 total – six strokes outside the cut line.

The Filipino-Japanese player’s second round unraveled late, with a bogey-double bogey finish on the front nine leaving her with another early exit. She also missed the cut in last week’s Portland Classic after a joint 12th finish in the AIG Women’s Open, her best result of the season.

The missed cut was Saso’s 10th in 18 tournaments this year.

At the top of the leaderboard, Japan’s Miyu Yamashita seized control with rounds of 62 and 64 for a stirring 14-under 126, opening a commanding five-stroke lead.

South Korea’s Soo Bin Joo was second at 131 after a 63, while Japan’s Yuri Yoshida fired a 66 and debuting Fil-Am professional Kiara Romero carded a 67 to remain among the leading challengers.

Yamashita’s five-shot cushion sets up a potentially runaway weekend, while Romero’s impressive debut gives the Philippines another player to watch as the tournament heads into the final two rounds.