GOLF
Bianca, Justin shine in Asian Games
At 3-under, the Philippine men’s team trails host Japan by six shots but remains well within striking distance heading into the second round.
Bianca Pagdanganan and Justin delos Santos starred for the Philippines in the opening round of the Asian Games golf competition at Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya, Japan on Wednesday, giving the country early momentum in both the individual and team races.
The 28-year-old Pagdanganan rallied with four birdies in the first six holes on the back nine to salvage a three-under-par 67, a round that placed her among the leaders in a deep women’s field. Delos Santos matched her steady play on the men’s side, shooting a 68 built on four birdies against two bogeys.
At 3-under, Pagdanganan sits in a large group tied for third place, four shots behind solo leader Shannon Tan of Singapore, the highest-ranked player in the field. Delos Santos, meanwhile, is tied for ninth in the individual standings, three strokes off the pace set by Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei and Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who share the men’s lead at 6-under.
Support came from the rest of the Philippine squads. Rianne Malixi delivered a 70, her round marred by back-to-back bogeys at the finish, while Pauline del Rosario struggled to a jittery 78. Despite the mixed results, the Filipinas hold a share of sixth place in the team event after Day 1.
On the men’s side, Carl Jano Corpus shot the only other sub-par round among the Filipinos, his 69 helping the team take joint fifth in the standings. Corpus, who replaced the injured Rico Hoey, made two eagles in a roller-coaster round that showcased both his power and his resilience. Miguel Tabuena did not count for the team score after carding a 70.
At 3-under, the Philippine men’s team trails host Japan by six shots but remains well within striking distance heading into the second round. South Korea’s Tom Kim, a Presidents Cup player and one of the marquee names in the field, opened with a 67, underscoring the depth of competition the Filipinos will face over the next three days.
Bianca Pagdanganan and Justin delos Santos starred for the Philippines in the opening round of the Asian Games golf competition at Kasugai Country Club in Nagoya, Japan on Wednesday, giving the country early momentum in both the individual and team races.
The 28-year-old Pagdanganan rallied with four birdies in the first six holes on the back nine to salvage a three-under-par 67, a round that placed her among the leaders in a deep women’s field. Delos Santos matched her steady play on the men’s side, shooting a 68 built on four birdies against two bogeys.
At 3-under, Pagdanganan sits in a large group tied for third place, four shots behind solo leader Shannon Tan of Singapore, the highest-ranked player in the field. Delos Santos, meanwhile, is tied for ninth in the individual standings, three strokes off the pace set by Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei and Japan’s Kazuki Higa, who share the men’s lead at 6-under.
Support came from the rest of the Philippine squads. Rianne Malixi delivered a 70, her round marred by back-to-back bogeys at the finish, while Pauline del Rosario struggled to a jittery 78. Despite the mixed results, the Filipinas hold a share of sixth place in the team event after Day 1.On the men’s side, Carl Jano Corpus shot the only other sub-par round among the Filipinos, his 69 helping the team take joint fifth in the standings. Corpus, who replaced the injured Rico Hoey, made two eagles in a roller-coaster round that showcased both his power and his resilience. Miguel Tabuena did not count for the team score after carding a 70.
At 3-under, the Philippine men’s team trails host Japan by six shots but remains well within striking distance heading into the second round. South Korea’s Tom Kim, a Presidents Cup player and one of the marquee names in the field, opened with a 67, underscoring the depth of competition the Filipinos will face over the next three days.