US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan officially punched their tickets to the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday night, hiking the total number of Filipino qualifiers for the July 23 to August 8 Games to 17 so far.
US Women’s Open champion Saso improved one rung to No. 8 and Pagdanganan was safely perched at No. 44 in the International Golf Federation rankings where the top 60 golfers advance to the Olympics.
Saso has cemented her Olympic spot following her major Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour two weeks ago. Pagdanganan, on the other hand, fell just two spots down the rankings after being cut in the US Women’s Open where another Filipina, Dottie Ardina, placed joint 12th.
Another golfer, Juvic Pagunsan, officially qualified for the Games a week ago through his men’s ranking—No. 49—that was bolstered by his triumph at the Mizuno Open in the Japan Golf Tour on May 30.
“The formal inclusion of Saso and Pagdanganan has boosted our chances to win our first ever Olympic gold medal,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said.
Men’s golf will be played from July 29 to August 1 while women’s event will be from August 4 to 7 at the East Course of the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.
Also qualified for the Olympics arevpole vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Caloy Yulo, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, skateboarder Margie Didal, shooter Jayson Valdez, runner Kristina Knott, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, weightlifters Hidilyn Diaz and Elreen Ando and boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam.
Miguel Tabuena competed in golf’s return at Rio 2016 and settled for 53rd place among 60 athletes.
The country expects another qualifier from swimming through the International Olympic Committee universality rule, while the men’s basketball team is vying in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.