Gonzaga University
Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational Day 2
Pagdanganan Holds on For Edean Ihlanfeldt Title
10/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Final Results
SAMMAMISH, Wash.--Freshman Bianca Pagdanganan picked up her first collegiate tournament win Wednesday, taking medalist honors at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational held at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.
Pagdanganan finished atop the standings with a three-day total of 217, one stroke above par. She shot 75 (+3) during the final round, making the turn at even par before taking a double bogey on hole No. 12 and bogeys on No. 16 and 17. The Quezon City, Philippines native ended on a high note, however, birdieing the final hole to get back to one over for the tournament. That birdie proved to be crucial as she finished one stroke ahead of second-place finisher Vanessa Ha of San Francisco. Pagdanganan led or held a share of the lead after all three rounds of the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational.
The win comes in just Pagdanganan's second collegiate tournament; she finished in a tie for 12th at New Mexico's Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in September during her first. It's also the first tournament title by a Bulldog since Alice Kim won the WCC Championship in April 2014.
"I'm really happy with Bianca's play this week, she played Sahalee like a veteran," said Gonzaga head coach Brad Rickel. "She listened to advice on how to play a championship course and fought hard today in the rain. It's great to have a winner in this prestigious event."
Pagdanganan joins lofty company as medalist at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational. Of the last three winners, Nebraska's Madeleine Sheils and Washington's SooBin Kim are now professional golfers while Stanford's Mariah Stackhouse clinched the NCAA Championship for the Cardinal last May.
Turning in the Bulldogs' lowest score of the day, junior Ciera Min climbed 22 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for 12th by shooting 73 (+1) Wednesday. Min ended the tournament with a total of 225 strokes (+9) and with 39 pars, tied for the second most in the field. It's her first top-15 finish of the season.
Next, Jena Gao tied for 41st with a two-day total of 234 strokes (+18). The freshman shot an 11-over-par 83 during the final round. Senior Raychelle Santos was just two strokes off Gao's pace for the tournament as she finished in a tie for 45th at 236 (+20). Santos counted 82 strokes (+10) on the day.
Rounding out the Bulldog lineup, sophomore Dania Uy tied for 64th with a tally of 246 (+30). She shot 87 (+15) during the final round.
"Ciera played a great round today in the tough conditions," Rickel said. "We didn't get the third and fourth scores we were hoping for today, but we do have a lot to build on."
As a team, the Zags finished in seventh place with 910 strokes (+46). Gonzaga counted 313 (+25) of those during Wednesday's wet weather. San Diego State shot 13-over-par on the day to move into first place in the team lead. The Aztecs took 892 strokes (+28) during the tournament.
Behind Pagdanganan, Ha finished second and USF teammate Emelie Lundstrom took third at 219 (+3). California's Hannah Suh was one stroke and position back in fourth place, and San Diego State's Milagros Chaves and Washington's Wenyung Keh tied for fifth at 221 (+5).
Gonzaga will return to the west side of the state next week when they visit Lakewood, Wash., for the Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational, held at Tacoma Country Club. The Seattle University-hosted tournament will run Monday, Oct. 12 and Tuesday, Oct. 13.
