Bianca doubling up medal goal

An uphill battle is what’s facing the Filipino hotshots in the Paris Olympic women’s golf Thursday at Le Golf National.

As things stand, the country’s main girl, ICTSI-backed Bianca Pagdanganan, started the second round two shots away from the top three following her even-par 72 in opening round.

She joined Azahara Muñoz of Spain and Morgane Metraux of Switzerland teeing off 3:11 p.m., Thursday Manila time.

Dottie Ardina, the other Filipino bet who carded a 76 Wednesday, started the second round with Finland’s Noora Komulainen and Norway’s Madeline Stavnar that fired off at 6:39 p.m.

Filipino-Japanese Yuka Saso, who signed a 77 on the opening day, was bunched with Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul and Australia’s Minjee Lee that teed off at 3:44 p.m.

Pagdanganan, 26, would need the resolve she showed in Wednesday’s back nine to enable herself to gain inroads to the podium.

Pagdanganan found her rhythm, range and touch late into the round to secure T13 after the first 18 holes.

France had high hopes for major titlist Celine Boutier who was to enter the second round with a three-shot lead following a stunning seven-under-par 65.

Boutier began with a three-birdie run over four holes starting at No. 3. She continued her strong play with back-to-back birdies on the back nine, rebounding from a misstep on No. 12 with three straight birdies from the 14th.

She finished with a 33-32, leaving the 18th green with a three-stroke lead over South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, who shot five birdies against a bogey for a 68.

“It’s true that it’s nice to be able to post a good first round, and yes super positive for the rest of the week,” Boutier said.

“The first round doesn’t mean much, there are still three days left, it’s a lot of golf, so much can happen.”

Former world No. 1 Lilia Vu of the United States looked poised to contend with Boutier early in the 72-hole championship, birdying four of the first seven holes, highlighted by a three-hole binge from No. 5.

However, Vu struggled on the long holes, making a bogey on the par-5 ninth with another dropped shot on the closing par-5 hole hampering her assault.

This opened the door for unfancied names such as Gaby Lopez of Mexico, Swiss Morgane Metraux and Mariajo Uribe of Colombia to tie her at third, while Norway’s Celine Borge, Chinese Xiyu Lin, Diksha Dagar of India, Minjee Lee of Australia and Japanese Miyu Yamashita all matched 70s for a share of seventh.

Nelly Korda, meanwhile, bogeyed three of the first seven holes in a shaky start that took many by surprise, given the World No. 1’s talent and skills.

However, she slowly but surely recovered, birdieing the ninth and gaining back-to-back strokes from No. 13 to save a 72, hinting at an explosive charge in the second round that is being played at press time.

“I actually didn’t hit it that bad. I just made four three-putts,” Korda said.

“The greens were just completely different, from the practice green to the golf course, they were a lot slower.”