Pagdanganan ignites Olympic medal hopes with gritty 69; Swiss takes charge with record feat

MANILA, Philippines -- Bianca Pagdanganan surged into the thick of the Olympic medal race with a determined 69, positioning herself firmly among the frontrunners on a day marked by dramatic shifts at Le Golf National in Paris on Thursday.

While a Swiss standout set an Olympic frontside record of 8-under 28 to lead and a local favorite faltered after a brilliant start, Pagdanganan's performance offered hope to a nation yearning for an Olympic golf medal.

With the weight of a nation’s hopes behind her, Pagdanganan’s three-under-par round was a masterclass in resilience and power. She recovered from a shaky start to deliver a crucial back nine, keeping her Olympic dreams alive halfway through the competition.

Her stellar performance was a highlight in a day that saw the leaderboard take shape in what promises to be a wide-open contest for gold.

Morgane Metraux stole the spotlight early on, blazing through the front nine with a jaw-dropping 28. The Swiss sensation, who began her Olympic campaign with a solid 70, fired off an eagle on the par-5 third, followed by three consecutive birdies.

She capped off her front nine with another eagle on the par-5 ninth, setting the first 28 ever recorded in both men’s and women’s Olympic golf competitions this year. This also bested her career-low nine-hole score on the LPGA Tour by two shots, underscoring her breakout performance on the global stage.

However, the back nine proved more challenging for the 27-year-old, as the pressure began to mount. A bogey on the 13th and another on the 17th tempered her earlier brilliance, but she still managed to finish the day with a remarkable 66, securing a one-shot lead at eight-under 136.

Hot on her heels is China’s Ruoning Yin, who delivered a flawless 65 in the afternoon wave, moving into solo second at 137. Yin birdied her first three holes and continued her momentum with birdies on Nos. 7, 11, 14, and 18, posting a bogey-free round that propelled her 11 spots up the leaderboard.

Lydia Ko of New Zealand also made a strong push, matching Yin’s front nine score of 32 and adding two more birdies on the back nine. Despite a bogey on the 18th, Ko finished with a 67, leaving her at 139 and