Bianca bounces back, sizzles with 67

Bianca Pagdanganan stormed back into contention after firing a sizzling five-under-par 67 in the Lotte Championship in Oahu, Hawaii on Friday.

After a frustrating no-birdie 75 on Thursday, the two-time Olympian displayed her prowess as she hit posted five birdies while hitting 16 greens in regulation and connecting 11 of 14 fairways.

With that, Pagdanganan climbed to a share of 11th place in the third round of the $3-million LPGA event, setting the stage for a strong finish.

A. Lim Kim, the 2020 US Women’s Open champion, showcased her skill with a remarkable hole-in-one on the ninth, propelling her to a sizzling five-under 67 and a 14-under 202 overall, securing her lead for the third consecutive day.

Kim, who opened her round with a 33, added birdies on the final two holes to cap off her impressive finish.

Nataliya Guseva briefly seized the solo lead with a strong front-nine 32 and held on with a birdie at No. 13. However, a late bogey on the 17th allowed Kim to regain the advantage.

Guseva finished with a 68, just one stroke behind Kim at 203, while Ryann O’Toole posted a 69 to reach a 205, keeping her in contention.

With her impressive performance on moving day, the 28-year-old Pagdanganan will head into the final day poised for a potential Top 10 finish. Yet, as the championship’s windup looms, the big-hitting Filipina faces a familiar challenge — her search for consistency.

Throughout her career, Pagdanganan has shown flashes of brilliance on the course, contending early in tournaments but often struggling to maintain that momentum in the final stages.

This pattern has defined her recent season as well, where despite her extraordinary power off the tee, she has found herself faltering at crucial moments. Her seventh-place finish at the Mizuho Americas Open remains her season’s best, a testament to her ability to compete with the world’s best but also a reminder of the potential that has yet to be fully realized.

In Hawaii, her three-day performance at the Hoakalei Country Club reflected her ongoing struggle for stability. A stunning opening-round 67 placed her at joint second, but a disappointing 75 in the second round saw her tumble down the leaderboard.

Yet, she showed resilience in the third round, rebounding with a bogey-free card that featured five birdies. Her round was marked by a steady string of pars before breaking out with back-to-back birdies from No. 5, followed by three more on the back nine.