AFTER a hectic June in the LPGA tour, Bianca Pagdanganan now has a sigh of relief and is now setting her sights of representing the Philippines in the Paris Olympics.

Pagdanganan was among the 60 qualifiers for Paris, giving the 26-year-old golfer a second consecutive Olympics stint.

“4 week stretch. My game definitely saw a lot of ups and downs and I could’ve done some things differently – but I’m still taking all the positives with me. Looking forward to some time off,” Pagdanganan posted with a smiling face with a drop of sweat emoji on her Instagram account yesterday.

“In other news, I’m excited to share that I will again be representing the Philippines – this time at the Paris Olympics. It’s an honor and a blessing to represent my home country at the highest level. #parasabayan,” she added, with a Philippine flag emoji.

Pagdanganan, a 2018 Asian Games gold medalist with Yuka Saso and LK Go in the team event and a two-time gold medal winner in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, finished in 43rd place in Tokyo three years ago.

Aside from 36th-ranked Pagdanganan, Dottie Ardina has also secured a place in the Olympics.

Saso, who represented the Philippines in Tokyo, will compete for Japan for the first time in Paris.

In 2016, Ardina earned a Rio Olympic berth, but begged off from competing due to Zika virus threat.

Ardina, who ranked 55th, will finally make her Philippine debut in Paris.

Saso, who finished ninth in Tokyo, earned her second Olympic berth by winning the US Women’s Open last month.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado