Hoey, Pagdanganan, Saso produce strong opening rounds 

Rico Hoey —AFP

A couple of aces carrying the Philippine flag in the professional golf circuit came through with solid games to stay in contention for a shot at the crown on Thursday.

And a familiar name now bearing the Japanese flag wasn’t doing bad herself, either.

In Japan, PGA Tour campaigner Rico Hoey shot a three-under 67 to stay four shots off the lead after one round of the Zozo Championship at Narashino Country Club in Chiba.

Hoey trailed American Taylor Moore, who fired a 63.

Hoey, born in Manila but raised in the United States, is coming off a tie for third in the Shriners Children’s Open, where he bagged his biggest paycheck so far worth $413,000 (close to P24 million) and also placed second in the ISCO Championship in July.

In Kuala Lumpur, Bianca Pagdanganan, who finished fourth in the Paris Olympics for the Philippines, shot a two-under 70 to stay within seven shots of the lead in the first round of the LPGA Maybank Championship.

Japanese rookie Mao Saigo carded a nine-under 63 to take a one-shot lead in the tournament.

Yuka Saso, who once represented the Philippines but now plays under the Japanese flag, shot a 66 to join a six-player logjam at fifth, just three shots down.

Saso is a double major winner on the LPGA Tour, winning the US Women’s Open twice, the first when she was still listed as a Filipino.

The 23-year-old Saigo, who had 10 birdies against a lone bogey at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club, said: “The course is difficult because there is so much up and down, but I am enjoying myself playing here.” —REPORTS FROM INQUIRER SPORTS, AFP