By Adrian Stewart Co

Filipina golfer Yuka Saso fell short of a podium finish as Bianca Pagdanganan slipped further at the close of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics women’s individual stroke play on Saturday at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Tokyo, Japan.

It was a huge climb for the 2021 US Women’s Open champion after falling to 47th place in the opening round as she finished the Summer Games at ninth place with 10-under-par.

Saso waxed hot in her last seven holes as she birdied five holes and scored an eagle at the short par-4 17th hole, where she reached the green with her drive and made the short putt for eagle.

“I was just glad that I was able to finish well,’ Saso said in an interview with ONE Sports after her Tokyo campaign. “‘Yung hangin medyo unpredictable kaya mahirap tantsahin ‘yung distance.”

“I’ve learned so much from the players that I played with. Overall, it was a good experience. It made me think that I need to practice more,” added the Filipina golfer.

United States’ Nelly Korda took home the gold medal after ending with a 17-under, while Japan’s Inami Mone and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko settled for silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Pagdanganan, on the other hand, continued her struggle until the final day of the competition as she finished with 1-over 285 for a tied at 43rd place in the event.

Pagdanganan, who had a rousing start in Tokyo Olympics with seventh place rankings, capped off her Summer Games debut with a double bogey to dip her points further./ASC, WDJ