So close yet so far for Bianca Pagdanganan in Paris 2024, but she proved the Philippines could hang with the best of the golfers in the Olympic Games.
Bianca Pagdanganan's emotions said it all.
After shooting a tournament-best outing of four-under-par 68 in the final round, the 26-year-old walked to the postgame interview and greeted the media with a smile and a handshake. She put her things on the floor and then tried to jump up and down to control her emotions.
And then it sank in.
Pagdanganan had to turn around, wiping the tears from her eyes. She tried facing the camera again, but had to turn around one more time to contain herself for a few minutes
.
“I gave ‘em my all out there,” a teary-eyed Pagdangan spoke to Boom Gonzalez of Cignal TV/One Sports.
“Whatever happens at the end of the day, it happens.”
And it did, but not without some drama in the end.
Pagdanganan found herself in joint third down the stretch, on the verge of a possible bronze medal playoff with two other golfers. The dream of giving the country its first Olympic medal was suddenly not just possible--but very much within grasp.
Only fate had other plans.
China’s Lin Xiyu surged with a last-minute outing, shooting three birdies in her last four holes to secure a podium finish for China.
The 26-year-old Filipina was so close--one spot short to be exact--but it was enough to secure fourth place. It's the Philippines’ best finish in Olympic golf history, male or female.
It's a huge jump from her 43rd place finish back in Tokyo 2020, and an improvement from Yuka Saso's ninth place outing back then.
[ALSO READ: Bianca Pagdanganan finishes fourth for best PH golf result in Olympics, Dottie Ardina surges to 13th in Paris 2024]
“I really wanted it, I want our names up there. I want them to know that we’re great athletes,” Pagdangan emphasized.
With her remarkable showing, the whole world knows by now. That in a country where basketball, volleyball and football dominate the mainstream sports, golf is one sport the Philippines could rely on to bring national pride and future success.
“This is just not for golf, we’ve excelled with other sports and I think it’s a great wake-up call back home that we can excel in sports.”
After a tournament-worse performance, she finished in the best way possible--a four-under-par 68 and a personal-best seven birdies in a round.
“I really felt proud of how I performed in such extreme pressure," Pagdanganan said.
She then dedicated her campaign to her family, who became her support system in the four-day event: “It’s such a great Olympic experience. I wasn’t able to have this in Tokyo but being able to share this moment with my family means so much.”
The 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist, who represented the Philippines for close to 11 years now, returns home as a game-changer for the sport.
“I’ve sacrificed so much for this career, and there’s no other way to put it. I wanted it so bad and I really did my best.”
But it wasn’t. Maybe in Los Angeles 2028 if she chose to compete again.
Four more years and if the stars align, the fate turns in favor of Pagdanganan and Team Philippines.
Watch the full interview here:
[With reports from Boom Gonzalez/Cignal TV/One Sports]