Yuka Saso finishes strong in Olympic debut; Bianca Pagdanganan slides
Philippines’ Yuka Saso watches her drive from the 9th tee in round 3 of the women’s golf individual stroke play during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on August 6, 2021. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—Yuka Saso finished strong in her Olympic debut while Bianca Pagdanganan dropped further in the table at the end of their women’s golf campaigns in the Tokyo Games at Kasumigaseki Country Club Saturday.
Behind a strong back nine, Saso ended her run at 10-under-par as she hit 274.
Saso, the reigning US Women’s Open champion, birdied holes 12 to 14 and finished strong with an eagle in 17 and another birdie in 18.
Saso, who ended round one at 47th place, made a strong climb in the final round to tie for ninth place while Bianca Pagdanganan wound up 43rd.
Philippines’ Bianca Pagdanganan watches her drive from the 1st tee in round 3 of the women’s golf individual stroke play during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe on August 6, 2021. (Photo by YOSHI IWAMOTO / AFP)
USA’s Nelly Korda took home the gold in an impressive performance throughout the competition. Japan’s Mone Inami claimed the silver while New Zealand’s Lydia Ko settled for bronze.
Pagdanganan fell to 1-over-par after hitting 285 overall across four rounds.
Hitting bogey in her first hole, Pagdanganan waited until the eighth hole to score her only birdie of the final round.
Pagdanganan, who was briefly in the lead in the opening round, then hit another birdie in hole 12 before ending her campaign with a double bogey in 18.
