Bianca Pagdanganan finished strong with a bogey-free two-under-par 70 in the final round of the Lotte Championship in Oahu, Hawaii, on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Filipina carded two birdies to finish the tournament at 9-under for a share of 11th spot.
Known for being one of the tour’s longest drivers, Pagdanganan averaged 292 yards off the tee, hitting 11 of 14 fairways and 13 greens in regulation.
The impressive finish vaulted Pagdanganan to No. 101 in the Race to CME Globe. She needs another solid performance in The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican tournament this week to crack the Top 100 and retain her LPGA Tour card next season.
Clariss Guce, the only other Filipina to make the cut, finished in a tie for 64th after a 77.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Kim A-lim shot a four-under-par 68 in the final round Saturday to win the Lotte Championship by two strokes and record only her second career LPGA Tour title after the 2020 US Open.
Kim’s 18-under total of 270 at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, consolidated her one-shot overnight lead over Russian tour rookie Nataliya Guseva, who carded a 69 to finish on 16-under.
American Auston Kim was third on 15-under after a final-round 67.
Starting the day at 14-under par, the 29-year-old Kim opened the door to Guseva, who birdied the first, with a bogey five on the second — only for the Russian to also card a five at the same hole.
“It did not really go well to be honest at the beginning,” a relieved Kim told reporters after celebrating victory.
“I just told myself I’m going to do what I set out to do. I just trusted myself.”
It worked as Kim then went on a run of three birdies in four holes.
“After my bogey (at the second) I started to focus really well and my mind was sharp so I started playing even better,” said the winner.
A three-putt at the eighth dropped her back into a tie with the 21-year-old Russian at 15-under.