Gonzaga University
NCAA Championship Day 1
Pagdanganan Tees off at NCAA Championships
5/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
NCAA Regionals Round 1 Results 
EUGENE, Ore.--Gonzaga freshman Bianca Pagdanganan became the first golfer in school history to compete for a national championship Friday, playing the first round of the NCAA Championships at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.
Pagdanganan saw a bit of a slow start by bogeying the first three holes, but on the par-5 fourth, she leveled out for her first par of the round. The freshman went on to par each of the next five holes, making the turn to the back nine at 3-over 40.
"Bianca was clearly anxious for the first few holes," said Gonzaga women's golf head coach Brad Rickel. "Her swing was quick, and she could not find her tempo. She continued to battle after those three bogies and fought for every stroke for the next five or six holes, making some amazing par saves."
After pars on each of the 10th and 11th holes, Pagdanganan saw her first birdie of the day on No. 12, knocking her approach shot to within a few feet of the stick and sinking the ensuing putt. She followed up with another par on the 13th hole, but consecutive bogeys on Nos. 14 and 15 moved her to four above par on the round. She briefly got back to three-over with a birdie on the par-5 17th but bogeyed her final hole of the day. In all, she counted 76 strokes, four shots above par.
"Starting on the eighth hole, she settled down and started hitting it much better; the last 15 holes she really played her game," Rickel said. "We missed a couple of short putts on the fast greens and had to chip out a couple of times. Other than that, she really played how she needs to."
The 76 puts Pagdanganan in a tie for 85th with 16 other players. She's within four strokes of a Top 30 finish, however, as 56 players are between even par and four over after the first round of the championship tournament.
In all, 24 teams and 132 players are competing in Eugene this weekend. After the first three rounds of stroke play, the top 15 teams and top nine individuals not on an advancing team will earn a spot in the fourth and final round of stroke play. The individual national champion will be crowned after the fourth round of stroke play, and the top eight teams will then move on to match play to determine the team champion.
"I'm really proud of Bianca," said Rickel. "If we can make all our short putts tomorrow while hitting a few more fairways, we will be fine."
Pagdanganan continues play at the NCAA Championships on Saturday, May 21, with an 8:25 a.m. tee time. She'll begin play on Eugene C.C.'s No. 10 tee.
