Pagdanganan narrowly misses podium in Olympic golf

MANILA, Philippines — It was very, very close.

Filipina Bianca Pagdanganan barely missed the podium of the women’s golf after ending her Paris Olympic run with a six-under 282 at the end of the final round Saturday evening (Manila time).

Golf’s unpredictability was on full display, with the podium finishers only determined until almost the very end.

Pagdanganan, who entered the final round at the joint-13th spot, fired a four-under 68 on Saturday to give her a fighting chance for at least a playoff for bronze.

After birdieing in her 18th hole, she ended her stint at joint-fifth, which, at the time, was just a shot away from the seven-under joint-third.

But the other golfers stumbled in their strokes, putting Pagdanganan at joint-third after China’s Lin Xiyu had a bogey in the 17th hole.

Lin, though, had a clutch birdie in the 18th to take the third place, dislodging Pagdanganan, as well as Australia’s Hannah Green, Korea’s Amy Yang and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita from the playoff position.

The only chance the rest of the field had on a playoff was leader New Zealand’s Lydia Ko firing a triple bogey on her final hole, but it did not come.

Ko brought home the gold medal with a 10-under par 278. Germany’s Esther Henseleit came in second with an eight-under par 280, while Lin had a 281 for the bronze.

Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina herself had a fourth round to remember, finishing with a three-under 285 after a 68 on Saturday.

She recorded five birdies with four coming in the back nine to finish at joint-13th with Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela, Ashleigh Buhai, Spain’s Azahara Munoz and Canada’s Brooke Henderson.

It was a huge performance for Ardina, who rose by 10 spots from her 23rd spot at the end of third round.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda ended her Paris stint at one-under par 287 at joint-22nd.

Japan’s Yuka Saso, who earlier represented the Philippines in the 2020 Olympics, struggled with a 305 through four rounds to end her second tour of duty at 54th place.

Following the exit of Ardina and Pagdanganan, the Philippines ended its Paris Olympic journey with four medals -- two golds courtesy of Carlos Yulo, and two bronzes from boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.