Cold putting hounds Bianca
‘This course can play really tough if the wind gets up, so we were lucky to be out early.’
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‘This course can play really tough if the wind gets up, so we were lucky to be out early.’
Bianca Pagdanganan’s frustrating run with the putter continued at the LPGA Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah, where she opened with a five-over-par 77 on Thursday. Despite showcasing her signature power game — averaging a whopping 295 yards off the tee and hitting 11 of 14 fairways — Pagdanganan’s short game proved costly.
She reached 13 greens in regulation but needed 36 putts to get around, leaving her tied for 135th in the field.
The 27-year-old, a two-time Olympian and one of the tour’s biggest hitters, will need to go very low — likely in the low 60s — on Friday just to have a shot at making the weekend.
Fil-Japanese Yuka Saso also had a poor round, stumbling with a 73.
Meanwhile, at the top of the leaderboard, Ryu Hae-ran and Ariya Jutanugarn shook off the sting of missed opportunities at last week’s Chevron Championship to make strong statements in Utah’s desert heat.
South Korea’s Ryu blazed to a nine-under-par 63, racking up nine birdies in a near-flawless round. She hit 13 of 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in regulation and made just 27 putts — an impressive bounce back after she shared the 54-hole lead at the Chevron only to stumble with a final-round 76 that left her two shots out of the playoff.
Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn also returned with renewed focus, shooting a bogey-free 64 to sit one stroke behind Ryu, tied with Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-Ling. Ariya, a two-time major winner, was looking to erase the heartbreak of last Sunday, when she stood on the final hole at the Chevron with a one-shot lead but bogeyed to fall into a playoff, which was won by Japan’s Mao Saigo.
“I’m not changing anything mentally,” Ryu said after her round. “Last week was really tough, and this week’s course is tough too. I just focused on being more precise with my shots, and it paid off today.”
She noted that while the Black Desert course isn’t narrow, it can feel intimidating due to its rocky desert surroundings. Both Ryu and Ariya teed off in the morning wave, taking full advantage of calm, wind-free conditions.
Ariya admitted that having less wind was a major plus: “This course can play really tough if the wind gets up, so we were lucky to be out early.”
Hsu, one of the few afternoon players to break through, made a late charge with an eagle and six birdies — including a red-hot finish with three birdies in her last three holes — to grab a share of second.
Spain’s Carlota Ciganda led a pack of players at 65, while another group at 66 kept things tight near the top of the leaderboard. Chevron champion Mao Saigo opened her week with a two-under 70, fighting back from two early bogeys to stay in the mix.
With near-perfect weather and a star-studded field, the LPGA’s return to Utah for the first time since 1964 is shaping up to be a memorable one — though Pagdanganan will be hoping to turn things around quickly if she wants to stick around for the weekend.
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