RAISING the level of her all-around game, Bianca Pagdanganan sizzled with a bogeyless 66 yesterday to vault into a three-way tie for fifth spot in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G Maineville, Ohio.
Slightly dipping with a 70 in the second round after shooting a 67 on opening day, the ICTSI-sponsored Pagdanganan tamed the par-72, 6,876-yard TPC River’s Bend Course inside the Hamilton Township with six birdies – two on the front and four on the back.
Her three-round tally of 203 was just three shots behind pacesetting Englishwoman Charley Hull, who checked in with a 67-200 to nurse a one-stroke lead over world No. 1 Thai Jeeno Thitikul (68-201) and move tantalizingly close to her first top five finish on the US LPGA tour.
Pagdanganan’s sparkling round also boosted her into contention for the top prize of $300,000 (around P17.4 million) and, if she manages to hold it together in the final round, her first title after six years as a pro.
Known for her driving prowess, the two-time Olympian certainly showed that she can contend with the big guns when her game is firing on all cylinders, hitting 12 of 14 fairways at an average distance of 291 yards, while hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation, completing her stint with just 31 putts.
A victory would go a long way for the golfer, currently ranked No. 136 in the Race to CME Globe, and push her back into the top 100.
