Filipina Bianca Pagdanganan continues to prove that she is a rookie sensation in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

Pagdanganan shot 69 in round 3 of the 2020 LPGA Drive On Championship on Saturday, October 24, in Greensboro, Georgia.

She capped it off with back-to-back birdies in No. 17 and No. 18 to nail a solo 2nd spot on 204 – just a shot below leader Ally McDonald.

“I feel great. It was a sigh of relief when I hit my last putt because I was hitting so many good shots, but I couldn’t get my putts to drop. But overall, I’m still pretty happy with how I played,” said Pagdanganan.

The 2019 Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist eclipsed world No. 5 American Danielle Kang, who stands at 3rd on 205, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda 4th on 206 and Australian Katherine Kirk 5th on 207.

Pagdanganan clinched the lead after she birdied in No. 2, but it was followed by bogeys in No. 3 and No. 5. The rookie sensation, though, regained her poise to solidify her grip of the 2nd spot.

“I just told myself: ‘B, you still have so many more holes to play and you’re not hitting it bad, you just gotta calm down and take it shot by shot’,” added Pagdanganan.

Aside from aiming for her first LPGA title, the 22-year-old power player is on track of setting an average driving distance record in the tour as she hit a 301.00 norm after the 3rd round.

“She says she wants to be the first woman to average 300 yards (in driving distance),” Pagdanganan’s father Sam told the LPGA during Saturday’s round.

“She also wants to win.” (Rappler Talk Sports: Bianca Pagdanganan in 2020 LPGA Championship top 10 finish)

The LPGA rookie recently set a tour record for the largest single-week leap in the world rankings, climbing from world No. 712 to No. 234, after she crashed into the top 10 of the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

She also leads the LPGA Tour’s average driving distance with 286.206 yards. – Rapper.com