Pagdanganan stays focused on qualifying for Olympics
BIANCA PAGDANGANAN remained focused on her bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics as she hangs on to No. 41 in the world rankings—way within the world top 60 cutoff if the Games were to start tomorrow.
“It is always been a goal of mine to play in the Olympics. It’s just different when you are playing for something bigger than yourself,” Pagdanganan, 23, told reporters Tuesday’s online news conference organized by the MVP Sports Foundation. “It definitely means a lot, and not everyone is given that chance.”
Pagdanganan and Filipino-japanese Yuka Saso, currently No. 21 in the world, are within the cutoff but they have to continue playing in International Golf Federation-sanctioned tournaments, especially the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour, for them to qualify for the Olympics set for July 23 to August 8.
Golf ’s world governing body set a June 28 cutoff date for the Olympics.
“For me, playing for my country is always one of the greatest things that golf has given me or the opportunity that comes to my life,” said Pagdanganan.
Pagdanganan won the women’s team gold medal with Saso and Louis Kaye Go at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. She also clinched an individual bronze medal with Saso bagging the gold medal.
“But I need to keep playing to stay in the top 60,” she said.
“I think we [with Saso] have a good chance. Seeing how we played throughout the years, at the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games,” said Pagdanganan, who was also announced during the news conference as Smart Sports’ newest ambassador.