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Filipina golfers Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan officially secured slots to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as confirmed by women’s Olympic golf rankings on Tuesday, June 29.
Saso comfortably took the first spot for the Philippines, ranking No. 9 in the world rankings, as she became the country’s first major golf tournament winner in the US Women’s Open.
Pagdanganan, for her part, grabbed the No. 42 spot, making it to the top 60 who will see action in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic women’s golf tournament in the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.
Only a maximum of two golfers from each country can participate in the event.
![[PODCAST] Targeting Tokyo: Yuka Saso](https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2021/06/targeting-tokyo-square-yuka.jpg?fit=449%2C449)
Both golfers rose to prominence after bagging the 2018 Asian Games gold in the women’s team event, led by Saso, who topped the individual event.
Saso, a double Philippine Sportswriter’s Association Athlete of the Year awardee, had a stellar rookie season in the Japan LPGA where she bagged back-to-back titles in the NEC Karuizawa Championship and the Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament.
She also topped the money ranking with earnings amounting to P50 million during her pro debut season.
Pagdanganan impressed in the LPGA tour during her rookie season with a ninth place finish in the 2020 KPMG Women’s PGA tournament.
Her top 10 finish propelled her to a tour record world ranking leap of 478 rungs in only six tour events in October 2020.
There are now 17 athletes in the Philippine Tokyo 2020 Olympics delegation which are led by pole vaulter EJ Obiena, 2016 Rio Olympic weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo, and boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Irish Magno and Carlo Paalam.
Veteran Juvic Pagunsan is the lone representative from the men’s Olympic golf event.
Margielyn Didal, also a 2018 Asian Games gold medalist, secured a spot in the Olympic skateboarding tournament.
Participating in the Tokyo Games as well are weightlifter Elreen Ando, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, rower Cris Nievarez, shooter Jayson Valdez, sprinter Kristina Knott, and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe. – Rappler.com
To discover the stories of our Filipino Olympic hopefuls, subscribe to Rappler Sports podcast Targeting Tokyo on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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