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| Bianca Pagdanganan struggled a bit on "moving day". AP (file photo) |
MANILA--Bianca Pagdanganan's chase for a Paris Olympic medal took a crucial hit as she struggled in the penultimate round of the women's golf event at the Le Golf National.
Entering the day just two strokes behind third place, Pagdanganan faltered at possibly the worst time, especially with some golfers waxing hot on what they call the "moving day".
Pagdanganan finished her front nine even as she hoped to put up a third straight outburst in the back nine, but bogeys on Holes 12 and 17 hurt her cause.
Despite finishing the round with a birdie on Hole 18, the one-over-par 73 for Round 3 dropped her to a tie for 13th place with Canada's Brooke Henderson, Germany's Esther Henseleit, and Slovenia's Pia Babnik at two-under-par 214.
Thanks to a hot moving day stint, the United States' Rose Zhang and Japan's Miyu Yamashita moved up to a tie for third with seven-under-par 209, five strokes ahead of Pagdanganan and the rest of the logjam for 13th.
It would now take Pagdanganan to wax hot in the final round later Saturday and for Zhang, Yamashita, and even joint leaders Morgane Metraux of Switzerland and New Zealand's Lydia Ko to struggle badly for the top Filipina golfer to make the podium.
The gold is suddenly up for grabs after the world number 22 Ko sizzled anew to force a tie for first with Metraux at nine-under-par 207.
Ko, who was at even par 72 on Day 1, was on target for the second straight round, finishing with a four-under-par 68 for the day.
After going six-under-par 66 on Day 2, Metraux struggled in the back nine, starting the second half of her stint with three bogeys in the first four holes before bouncing back with a birdie on Hole 14.
An eagle on Hole 18 kept her in first place, but Ko now joined her at the top.
Meanwhile, Dottie Ardina continued to improve from her erratic start as she went three-under-par 69 for the day to put her up to one-over-par 217, good for 23rd place.
Although the chances of making the Top 3 are still slim, Ardina has an opportunity to finish her Olympic debut strong to give her more morale boost as she continues her pro journey.
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