Bianca Pagdanganan found her game at just the right time.
After two rounds of the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic, the power-hitting Filipina has put herself in position for a dramatic final-round charge. She fired a scorching seven-under 65 to vault 25 places and move into a share of 14th in the $250,000 Epson Tour event in Pendleton, Oregon on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).
More importantly, Pagdanganan finally saw all parts of her game come together – her ball-striking, wedge play and putting – turning what had been a so-so opening round into a statement performance that revived her hopes of a Top-10 finish, and perhaps even a Top-5 breakthrough, with 18 holes left.
The ICTSI-backed ace now stands at 10-under 134, just one stroke behind the players tied for ninth and three shots off solo fifth-place Megha Ganne, who scorched the Wildhorse Golf Club layout with a 63 for a 131.
At the top, Anne Chen of the US and Thailand’s Cholcheva Wongras share the lead at 15-under 129. Chen fired a 64, missing grabbing the solo lead with a last-hole mishap, while Wongras shot a solid 65 after catching fire on the back nine.
Pagdanganan, however, may have delivered the round that could change the complexion of her tournament.
Starting on the back nine, the Asian Games-bound ace birdied Nos. 13 and 18 after a missed opportunity on the par-5 11th. She parred the rest of the side to make the turn in 34.
That, though, was merely a prelude to her back-nine assault.
Pagdanganan opened her front nine with a birdie on No. 1, then leaned on her trademark power, precise iron play and increasingly confident putting to birdie the par-5 third.
She saved her biggest shot for the next long hole.
Pagdanganan unleashed an eagle on the par-5 fifth, then added another birdie on No. 7 to close out a blistering 31 on the side and a bogey-free 65 that transformed her position on the leaderboard.
From joint 39th after Friday’s 69, she rocketed all the way to joint 14th.
And that surge could not have come at a better time.
Pagdanganan is looking to erase the disappointment of last week’s LPGA Tour outing, where she opened with an impressive 66 only to stumble to a 75 in the second round and miss the cut.
This time, she has given herself another opportunity – only this one comes with a chance to finish the job.
With her ball-striking and short game clicking and confidence seemingly building by the hole, Pagdanganan heads into Sunday knowing she has ground to make up but plenty of room to make another move.
She is five strokes behind the co-leaders, but only three off fifth and one behind the group tied for ninth. Another round in the mid-60s could dramatically reshape her position and put a Top-10 finish within reach.
A Top-5 finish, meanwhile, is hardly out of the question.
The Filipina will need another aggressive yet disciplined round, especially with the leaders and a packed chasing group all capable of producing another barrage of birdies on the par-72 layout.
Chen set the pace by making nine birdies in her first 17 holes before a closing stumble cost her the outright lead. Wongras matched her at 129 after birdieing the first four holes of her back nine and adding another on No. 16.
Samantha Wagner fired a 64 and former leader Caitlyn Peirce a 67 to share third at 130, just one shot back.
Valery Plata and Reagan Zibilski carded 66s, while Kajal Mistry shot 67, leaving the trio tied for sixth at 132 and only three strokes off the pace.
Behind them lurks a host of players capable of making the final round a shootout – including Pagdanganan, who has already shown she can make a major move when her game catches fire.
Two-time Epson Tour winner Clariss Guce also rallied into the final round, shooting a solid 66 to move into a share of 57th at five-under 139, the cut line.
Tomi Arejola carded a 69 but missed the cut by two at 141, while Pauline del Rosario also shot 69 but finished at 142. Dottie Ardina bowed out at 145 after a 73.
For Pagdanganan, however, the tournament is very much alive.
After a frustrating exit on the LPGA Tour last week, she has answered with a round that restored both momentum and belief.
Now comes the bigger challenge: turning that blazing 65 into one more charge – and perhaps a redemption finish to remember.