Bianca Pagdanganan

Filipino professional golfer

Bianca Pagdanganan
Personal information
Full nameBianca Isabel Pagdanganan
Born (1997-10-28) 28 October 1997 (age 26)
Height162 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Sporting nationality Philippines
ResidenceArizona, U.S.
Career
CollegeGonzaga University
University of Arizona
Turned professional2020
Current tour(s)LPGA Tour
Best results in LPGA major championships
Chevron ChampionshipCUT: 2021, 2024
Women's PGA C'shipT9: 2020
U.S. Women's Open68th: 2022
Women's British OpenDNP
Evian ChampionshipDNP
Medal record
Women's Golf
Representing  Philippines
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta–Palembang individual
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Philippines individual

Bianca Isabel Pagdanganan (born 28 October 1997[1]) is a Filipino professional golfer. As an amateur, she was a dual medalist in the 2018 Asian Games, winning a bronze in the women's individual event, and a gold medal in the team event with Yuka Saso and Lois Kaye Go.

Early life and education

A native of Quezon City,[2] Pagdanganan was born on 28 October 1997[3] to Sam and Bing Pagdanganan and has two siblings. She attended the Assumption Antipolo graduating from the institution in 2015. In 2015, Pagdanganan entered the Gonzaga University in the United States to pursue a major degree in sports management.[2] After two years at Gonzaga, Pagdanganan transferred to the University of Arizona.[3]

Amateur career

Pagdanganan was influenced by her father to take up golf. Her father would bring her along his golf sessions during the weekends.[3]

Collegiate

From 2015 to 2017, Pagdanganan played for the golf team of Gonzaga University.[2] She later represented the University of Arizona and helped the Arizona Wildcats clinch the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships.[4] Her teammates dubbed her as "The Unicorn" for her skills in golf, particularly her long-driving ability.[5] She intends to pursue a professional career in golf after graduating from university.[3]

National

Prior to moving to the United States, Pagdanganan has competed in national youth tournaments in the Philippines. She won the 2014 Philippine Junior Amateur Open, was a low medalist in the stroke play portion of the 2013 Philippine Amateur Open, and won the 2013 Philippine Ladies Open. She also placed second in the 2012 PHILEX Northern Luzon Regional Amateur Golf Championship and 2013 Philippine Amateur Championship.[2]

International

Internationally, Pagdanganan competes for the Philippines. In the 2018 Asian Games, she clinched a bronze medal in the women's event and a gold medal in the team event with Yuka Saso and Lois Kaye Go.[6] At the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, she won individual and team gold medals.[7]

At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Pagdanganan ranked 43rd.[8] She later competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, where she finished at a joint fourth place with a total stroke count of 282, the best ranking achieved by a Filipino golfer at the Olympics.[9]

Professional career

Pagdanganan turned professional in January 2020.[10][11] She earned her LPGA Tour card through the LPGA Q-Series in November 2019.[12]

Amateur wins

  • 2014 Philippine Junior Amateur Open
  • 2017 Philippine Ladies Open, Branch Law Firm-Dick McGuire
  • 2018 Santi Cup
  • 2019 Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational, Southeast Asian Games (gold medal)

Source:[13]

World ranking

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

Year Ranking Source
2020 150 [14]
2021 170 [15]
2022 324 [16]
2023 137 [17]

References

  1. ^ "Pagdanganan, Bianca Isabel". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Archived from the original on 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "2016-17 Women's Golf Roster : Bianca Pagdanganan". Gonzaga University. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Pagdanganan Bianca". Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Palembang. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  4. ^ "Bianca Pagdanganan recalls clutch shot, as Arizona wins US NCAA title". ABS-CBN News. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  5. ^ Romine, Brentley (19 May 2018). "Arizona's Bianca Pagdanganan makes hole-in-one, ties NCAA individual lead". Golfweek. Stillwater, Oklahoma. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Asian Games: Meet PH golf's golden trio". ABS-CBN News. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  7. ^ "Pagdanganan led women's golf team bags two golds". CNN Philippines. 8 December 2019 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ Veran, Jan (6 August 2024). "Pagdanganan, Ardina aim high in Olympic showdown". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 7 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  9. ^ Dioquino, Delfin (11 August 2024). "Pagdanganan falls short of historic Olympic golf medal, Ardina finishes strong". Rappler. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Filipina golfer Bianca Pagdanganan announces she'll turn pro". CNN Philippines. 11 January 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Players Turned Pro – Women". World Amateur Golf Ranking.
  12. ^ "Muni He Finished 2019 LPGA Q-Series As Second Week Wire-To-Wire Tournament Winner". LPGA. 2 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Bianca Pagdanganan". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 27 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 26 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2023.