Major move: Bianca grabs 5th

MANILA, Philippines — Seems like Bianca Pagdanganan is built solely for the majors.

The Filipina rookie kept going big-time with her big shots and a big fighting heart, matching her blistering second round 65 to gatecrash the elite Top 5 made up of LPGA Tour multiple winners and major champions in the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Pennsylvania Saturday.

Keeping the momentum of her bogey-free five-under card at the par-70 Aronimink Golf Club in Newport Square Friday, Pagdanganan birdied Nos. 2, 4, 9, 13 and 16 inside 13 feet and wrapped up her last 36 holes without a bogey by rescuing three pars (Nos. 6, 8 and 12) in a big, big charge by a first-time major bidder who never had an inkling of ever finding herself in the mix with great and seasoned players for a shot at the crown after an atrocious wind-blown opening 77.

She even described her fifth ranking as outrageous.

“I guess it’s crazy that my name would be up in the leaderboard at a major,” Pagdanganan, whose 54-hole aggregate of three-under 207 pulled her to within four shots off Korean Sei Young Kim, told The STAR.

Kim, a nine-time LPGA Tour winner seeking her first major crown, shot a 67 for a 203 and held on to a two-stroke lead over former champions Brooke Henderson of Canada (2016) and Swede Anna Nordqvist (2009), who carded 65 and 68, respectively, for 205s while former world No. 1 and 2013 titlist Inbee Park, also of Korea, grabbed fourth spot at 206 after a 66.

Over in Japan, Yuka Saso came threateningly close to producing a stirring comeback but fumbled at the finish, settling for a 68 for joint 12th in the storm-hit Stanley Ladies Golf Tournament won by Mone Inami via playoff .

The JLPGA money race leader came out of a rest day following the cancellation of the second round due to stormy weather with a bogey to fall five shots off the pace but pulled to within one after 14 holes with a cluster of birdies and an eagle, re-igniting hopes for another win after sweeping the NEC Karuizawa and Nitori Ladies titles last August. But she lost her touch.