MANILA, Philippines – Bianca Pagdanganan faced another early elimination with a 73 marred by a shaky backside finish, falling to joint 77th at the start of the Portland Classic paced by unheralded Japanese Ayako Uehara at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Oregon Thursday (Friday, Manila time).
But while Pagdanganan stood just a stroke below the projected cutoff line, the power-hitting Filipina will be hard-pressed to turn in a low round Friday to earn a spot in the weekend play of the $1.5 million event with the rest of the bidders likewise gearing up for a big second round charge.
Missing the cut in her last three LPGA tournaments, including in last week’s Kroger Queen City Championship, the ICTSI-backed Pagdanganan dominated the par-5 No. 5 but failed to hit any other birdie the rest of the way. She bogeyed the 10th, also a par-5, then dropped another stroke on the par-3 No. 16.
She missed five fairways on a 290-yard driving clip, went out of regulation six times and finished with 32 putts.
ICTSI teammate and 2021 US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso, who has also struggled in her last few tournaments, has opted to skip this week’s event to prepare for the next LPGA foray in Arizona next week.
Meanwhile, Uehara, who tied for 42nd last week, sizzled with five birdies at the front of the par-72 layout then bounced back strong from a bogey on No. 13 with three birdies in the last four for a 65.
She grabbed a one-stroke lead over Aussie Hannah Green, who missed forcing a tie with a bogey on No. 18 for a 66, while fancied American Nelly Korda put in an eagle-spiked 67 for joint third with Hinako Shibuno and Ayaka Furue, also both of Japan and Caroline Inglis of the US.