Pagunsan gets Tokyo Olympics slot; Saso, Pagdanganan expected to qualify
FILE — Filipino golfer Juvic Pagunsan looks on during a practice round at Royal Liverpool Golf Course in Hoylake, north west England on July 16, 2014 ahead of The British Open Golf Championship. AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLIS
MANILA, Philippines — Golfer Juvic Pagunsan is the 13th Filipino to officially qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Pagunsan made the cut after finishing inside the 60-player Olympic field at No. 50.
The 43-year-old Pagunsan won’t be the only Filipino golfer to book a ticket to Tokyo with Filipinas Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan also expected to formally make the Games.
Congratulations golfer Juvic Pagunsan for qualifying to the Tokyo Olympic Games!
Mabuhay ang #GalingngAtletangPilipino!#PSCatWork#IAmSportsPositive#parasainangbayan🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/hWbUa1dbqR
— Philippine Sports Commission (@psc_gov) June 22, 2021
Saso, the reigning US Women’s Open champion, is ninth while Pagdanganan is at No. 42 in the 60-player women’s field.
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, only one golfer in Miguel Tabuena competed for the Philippines. Tabuena finished 53rd overall.
Pagunsan joined Rio weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Eumir Marcial, Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Irish Magno.
Also part of aPhilippine delegation are Asian skateboarding champion Margielyn Didal, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, rower Cris Nievarez, shooter Jayson Valdez and another weightlifter in Elreen Ando.
