Pagdanganan clings, Saso falters at Women's PGA

MANILA, Philippines — Redemption remained out of reach for Bianca Pagdanganan and Yuka Saso as both turned in underwhelming starts in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, reflecting their recent struggles on the LPGA Tour.

Pagdanganan opened her campaign with a birdie on No. 10 of the Fields Ranch East in PGA Frisco, Texas, but quickly lost momentum with bogeys on the 16th and 17th. She managed just one more birdie on the front nine but offset it with two more bogeys to finish with a two-over 74, landing at joint 40th after Thursday (Friday Manila time)’s opening round of the $12-million major championship.

Although she’s still within striking distance of the projected cut line, the ICTSI-backed Filipina Olympian, who missed the cut in her last two events, must go under-par in the second round to secure a weekend slot and avoid another early exit.

The 27-year-old Pagdanganan, known for her long game, averaged 267 yards off the tee and hit 10 fairways but missed five greens and needed 31 putts, including a key par save from a bunker.

Meanwhile, Saso’s woes continued as the two-time US Women’s Open champion hobbled with a disastrous 79, placing her at joint 135th and in serious danger of missing yet another major cut.

Playing in the tougher afternoon wave, the Filipina-Japanese endured a rollercoaster round marred by two separate three-bogey stretches on her opening nine at the back. A double bogey on No. 1 and another bogey on the second further dragged her down before she salvaged a couple of birdies on Nos. 3 and 4, only to give another shot back on the fifth.

In stark contrast, world No. 2 Atthaya Thitikul surged to the top with a bogey-resilient 68, shaking off a double bogey on No. 5 with six birdies across the final 12 holes. The Dallas-based Thai needed just 25 putts and leads Minjee Lee by one.

Lee also overcame an early stumble, firing seven birdies against two more bogeys to briefly catch Thitikul at the top. However, a closing bogey dropped her to solo second with a 69. Meanwhile, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee rallied with late birdies to card 70s, joining Haeran Ryu and Yealimi Noh in a four-way tie for fourth..

Big names also stumbled, including Jennifer Kupcho, Megan Khang, Hyo Joo Kim and Celine Boutier, who all faltered with 76s, Patty Tavatanakit, Nasa Hataoka and Lilia Vu, who finished with identical 77s, Charley Hull and Ingrid Lindblad (78s), and Ayaka Furue, who joined Saso with a 79.