MANILA – Bianca Pagdanganan had a strong start to her stint in the Tokyo Olympics women's golf event, putting herself in a good position for a medal finish after her first round stint on Wednesday at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in the Japanese capital.
Pagdanganan, among those who played early into Round 1, finished two-under-par 69, good for a share of seventh place as of posting.
Pagdanganan opened her medal bid with two straight birdies in Holes 1 and 2, both of Par 4.
Her first setback came when she bogeyed the Par 3 Hole 4, but she bounced back by making a birdie in the Par 5 Hole 5.
She lost one stroke anew after bogeying the Par 4 Hole 11, but two birdies within a three-hole stretch put her back in a strong position for the podium with three days of competition left.
Meanwhile, Yuka Saso could not get her game going and finished at the bottom half of the 60-woman field.
Saso, the reigning US Women's Open champion, finished three-over-par 74, currently in a tie for 47th place as of posting.
Saso started off sluggish, not getting a birdie in her first four holes, even bogeying Hole 2.
She finally got a birdie in Hole 5, but that was quickly canceled by a bogey in the Par 4 Hole 6.
Saso even had a stretch of two straight bogeys in Holes 16 and 17 before ending her round with a par in Hole 18.
Swedish golfer Madelene Sagstrom played a near flawless performance and is at the top spot as of posting with a five-under-par 66.
Sagstrom never had a bogey during the entire first round.
American Nelly Korda and Indian Aditi Ashok are tied for second with a four-under-par 67. (PNA)
