By Adrian Stewart Co

Golfers Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan joined the growing list of Filipino athletes competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics slated next month in Tokyo, Japan.

The Philippine Olympic Committee confirmed the qualification of Saso and Pagdanganan yesterday after making it to top 60 in the women’s Olympic golf rankings.

Saso, who recently became the country’s first major golf tournament winner in the US Women’s Open, qualified to the Summer Games as she ranked No. 9 in the world rankings.

Saso, a two-time Philippine Sportswriter’s Association Athlete of the Year awardee, also made her mark in the Japan LPGA, NEC Karuizawa Championship and the Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament.

Saso rose to prominence after capturing two gold medals in the 2018 Asian Games women’s individual team event, along with Pagdanganan and Lois Kaye Go.

Pagdanganan, for her part, grabbed the No. 42 spot in the Olympic ranking following her strong showing in the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA tournament, where she finished at ninth place.

Pagdanganan’s top 10 finish in her professional debut has propelled her to a tour record world ranking leap of 478 rungs in only six tour events in October 2020.

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 Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama in Tokyo, Japan.

Saso and Pagdanganan were the 16th and 17th Filipino athletes to compete in the Summer Games and second and third golfers aside from Negrense Juvic Pagunsan in the men’s division.

The Murcia, Negros Occidental-native Pagunsan already made it known yesterday that he picks to play in the Tokyo Olympics instead of British Open, which is scheduled a week before the Summer Games./ASC, WDJ