Bianca Pagdanganan hacked out a three-under-par 69 to easily make the cut in the Champions Fore Change Invitational at the Taberna Country Club in New Bern, North Carolina on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Filipina sits on a share of 33rd place on 4-under 140, nine shots behind pacesetting Alena Sharp who had a 64.
Starting at the back, she mixed two birdies with two bogeys before closing the opening nine with an eagle on the par-4, ninth.
Her roller-coaster round continued at the front with three birdies against two bogeys.
Pauline del Rosario was the next-best Filipina on 141 after a 69 built around four birdies against one bogey.
Clariss Guce also made the cut on the number on 3-under after shooting a bogey-free, one-birdie 71.
Dottie Ardina and Chanelle Avaricio did not make it into the final round.
Ardina returned a 74 for 144 while Avaricio also had a 74 for 149.
Sharp knocked in eight birdies to nurse a one-stroke lead over Gigi Stoll who carded a 66. Alone in third was Gabriela Ruffels who shot a 66.
Sharp started off her day as strong as possible, rattling off four straight birdies to climb the leaderboard immediately. She made one more birdie on her 7th hole of the day before settling for eight straight pars.
The 42-year-old finished up her round with three straight birdies as she looks to close out the ninth Epson Tour event of the season on Sunday.
‘I just need to continue to give myself opportunities. I’ve had a lot of putts within 20 feet so if I continue to do that and make some putts it will go down to the end.’
“It started out really well with a string a birdies then it went into a string of pars and I ended it with three birdies so it was nice to get those coming in,” Sharp said. “I am really happy where I am sitting.”
Sharp is a 19-year LPGA veteran but has yet to capture her first victory on the Epson Tour or LPGA Tour. She is happy with where she is at right now, but she knows the field is deep and they can go low. Sharp is just hoping to give herself a chance coming down the stretch on Sunday.
“I just need to continue to give myself opportunities. I’ve had a lot of putts within 20 feet so if I continue to do that and make some putts it will go down to the end,” said Sharp. “I just want to give myself a chance with nine holes to go because I know there are a lot of good players out here that can go low.”
