MANILA – Golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Dottie Ardina have joined the growing list of Filipino athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics next month.
Pagdanganan and Ardina secured their Olympics ticket after maintaining their place inside the top 60 in the latest women’s Olympic golf rankings on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Pagdanganan is making her second consecutive Summer Games appearance after grabbing the No. 36th spot in the world rankings.
Pagdanganan finished in 43rd spot during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after compiling 285 points following her 69, 71, 71, and 74 scores in the four rounds of competition.
The 30-year-old Ardina, on the other hand, will make her Olympic debut after landing in 56th spot in the world rankings.
A Calamba, Laguna native, Ardina actually qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but she declared herself unable to compete at the last minute due to Zika virus threat.
Only a maximum of two players in the men’s and women’s golf from each country can participate in the event, which will be held at the Le Golf National at Guyancourt in France.
On the other hand, no Filipino golfers have earned an Olympic qualification, based on the men’s rankings released on June 17.
Meanwhile, Filipina-Japanese golfer Yuka Saso, now representing Japan, is also making her Olympics return after finishing in top 10 in the latest record.
Saso, who recently claimed her second US Women’s Open championship, finished ninth in Tokyo Olympics with 274 on her 74, 68, 67, and 65 scores./PN
