All but done as Bianca takes six-shot lead into final round

Bianca Pagdanganan. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Bianca Pagdanganan lit up the $100,000 Anvaya Cove International on Thursday, practically putting the title in the bag after a second round five-under-par 67 left the talented field six shots behind the long-hitting Filipino going into the final 18 holes in Morong, Bataan.

The 25-year-old Pagdanganan had an eagle and six birdies that went against three bogeys for a 36-hole 136, with Taiwan’s Ya-Chun Chang and Pakin Kawinpakorn of Thailand now left to give chase after first round leader PK Kongkraphan lost steam.

With blustery gusts making the well-manicured seaside layout an even tougher nut to crack, Pagdanganan showed why she was labeled a cut above the rest even before the first tee shot was hit.

She opened with an eagle 2 when a 9-iron from 142 yards found the cup after bouncing in front of the green as Kongkraphan went on to shoot a 75 to fall seven down. “I’m pretty satisfied with how I played today (yesterday). I got my goals, and that was to hit fairways and greens,” Pagdanganan, using this even to toughen up for the Epson Tour in the United States, said. “It’s important to keep the ball in play and I’m pretty sure I got it done for most part.”

Kawinpakorn shot a 70 and Chang a 72 like Kultida Pramphun, who is now tied with her countrywoman Kongkraphan.

Pagdanganan immediately gave one of those shots back on No. 2 before she strung up four birdies in a seven-hole stretch from the par-4 fifth to set the tone of the breakaway.

“I made few errors, but I kind of bounced back,” said Pagdanganan. “It’s really important to stay patient out there with a lot of conditions—the wind and heat. It’s hard to stay in the moment.”