Filipina golfers' late fightback caps off Olympics to remember for Philippines
MANILA, Philippines – The 2024 Summer Olympics is finally over — at least for the Philippines, whose citizens on Saturday witnessed with pride a gallant last-ditch effort by its two-woman golf team to add to what’s already a historic medal haul for the country.
Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina were the Philippines’ final medal hopes in the quadrennial sports meet in Paris, aiming to sweeten a medal pot that contains two golds from gymnastics boy wonder Carlos Yulo, and a bronze each from boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.
And although the two golfers ultimately came up short in that goal, they went down swinging — the embodiment of a “Never Say Die” spirit often attributed to the Filipino athlete’s persistence in the pursuit of sporting excellence.
Pagdanganan in particular was brilliant, firing a four-under 68 in Saturday’s final round to almost force a playoff in an intense race for the bronze. She finished her Paris campaign with a total six-under 282 after four rounds of play.
China’s Xiyu Lin pulled off a clutch birdie in the 18th hole, finishing at 281 to dislodge Pagdanganan and secure the bronze in the tournament topped by gold medalist Lydia Ko of New Zealand.
But for Pagdanganan, the way she put herself back in contention to just narrowly miss the podium was as equally impressive.
She started out flat in the tournament’s opener last Wednesday, salvaging an even-par 72 for joint-13th place after the first 18 holes. But she surged into the thick of the medal race with a determined 69 the following day to position herself firmly among the frontrunners until Saturday night’s cardiac fight for the bronze.
Pagdanganan thus shared the fourth spot with Hannah Green, Amy Yang and Miyu Yamashita.
For her part, Ardina likewise finished strong, carding a 68 to tie for 13th place at 285 — a remarkable recovery from her opening-day woes that saw her post a four-over 76 for a share of 40th place.
Reflecting on her Olympic debut, she expressed pride in her performance, particularly her improvement after a shaky start.
“Definitely, I stepped on the gas today, but it wasn’t enough to win a medal. Still, I’m happy with my progress,” said Ardina, who ended up higher than World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States (joint-22nd).
Proud performances trump controversy
The Philippines’ final event in the Paris edition of the Games came not without controversy. Just a day before the women’s golf final round, a video by Ardina ranting about their lack of uniforms and the apparent indifference of those responsible spread like wildfire on social media — triggering outcry among the Filipino sports fateful.
The video shows a visibly disappointed Ardina trying to stick a Philippine flag patch on her shirt using double-sided tape — yet another proof of the plight of national athletes, most of whom, if not undertrained, remain underequipped.
“What kind of Olympics is this?” Ardina quipped in Filipino, half-joking, as she painstakingly attached the Philippine logo to her shirt. “My God, a shoutout to those who didn’t bother to provide us with uniforms. Where are they? Where did they go? There are only two of us here, and even then, we're incomplete!”
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has since responded to the issue, saying it was just an “isolated case” brought about by unforeseen logistical problems.
“We are all saddened with the issue about the attire but we have supported our athletes unequivocally,” the POC said.
“We have done our very best to give all our athletes everything they need to be at their best for the Olympics but there are certain things that are beyond our control,” it added.
Nevertheless, Pagdanganan and Ardina’s noteworthy finishes should be a fitting mic-drop for what will go down as the best-ever Olympic campaign for the Philippines to date — with pole vaulter EJ Obiena missing the podium in a similarly close manner.
Their performances should stick to the minds of Filipinos for generations to come, much stronger than what double-sided tape can only do for those flag patches on their shirts. — With reports from Jan Veran and Ralph Edwin Villanueva
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