Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 7) – Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan made contrasting finishes in the final day of the Tokyo Olympics women’s individual stroke play Saturday at the Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Saso landed a Top 10 finish after firing her best performance in the four rounds with a six-under-par 65. She finished with a total of 10-under-par 74 for joint ninth place with five other golfers from South Korea, China, Japan, and Denmark.
The 20-year-old Filipino Japanese had a fine start in the front nine with a bogey in Hole 4 and bounced back with a birdie in Hole 5. She had a strong finish in the back nine after notching four birdies and an eagle in Hole 17.
Saso’s performance for a Top 10 was an uphill climb after she began the first round at 47th place with three-over-par 74.
The 2021 US Women’s Open champion improved to 34th place after Round 2 with three-under-par 68. She continued her rise after the third round, with a four-under-par 67 performance to catapult her into the 20th spot.
Meanwhile, Pagdanganan settled for an overall finish at joint 43rd place with a total of one-over-par 285. She is tied with golfers from Thailand and Morocco.
In the fourth round, Pagdanganan began her first hole with a bogey and settled for pars until the eighth hole where she made a birdie.
Pagdanganan committed another bogey in Hole 12 and a double bogey in the last hole to record a three-over-par 74 finish in the last round.
The 23-year-old Pagdanganan began her Tokyo Olympics campaign with a strong seventh place finish after Round 1. She then settled for consecutive even pars in the next two rounds, which caused a slide in her overall rankings.
American golfer Nelly Korda won the gold while Japan’s Mone Inami bagged the silver medal. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko clinched the bronze medal.
