THE LPGA DRIVE ON CHAMPIONSHIP

October 20, 2020

Bianca Pagdanganan

Reynolds Lake Oconee

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the virtual media center here at the LPGA Drive On Championship at Reynolds Lake Oconee. With that, I'm happy to be joined today by 2020 LPGA Tour rookie, Bianca Pagdanganan. Bianca, how are you doing today?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I'm good. How are you?

THE MODERATOR: I'm doing great. I want to start off by looking back two weeks ago to your first career major appearance at the KPMG Women's PGA. You finished T-9 and this past week we've been off have you been able to reflect on that performance, or what stands out to you after that week in Philadelphia.

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: It was a pretty amazing week being my first major and finishing in the top 10. That was also my best finish in any event that I played this year, so I was like, Wow, I can play good in big events, so I just need to learn how to do it in regular events and have the same mindset for every event.

Yeah, definitely had a lot of time to reflect. I saw family this week who never stopped reminding me. But it feels really nice.

THE MODERATOR: I was going to say, you had your dad with you who also gave you quite the pep talk during the entire week. What was it like to be around friends and family this past week and being able to soak in that performance?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Being able to spend time with family is always a blessing to me. I don't get to see them that often since they're on the other side of the United States. But it was really nice to just rest and reset. I like to do that after every event. Like I said, being able to spend it with family and being able to look back at that tournament, it's very, very special.

THE MODERATOR: How has your confidence changed since the KPMG Women's PGA, and have your goals changed for the rest of 2020?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I guess it's more refecting and learning that you can thrive in like these big events. Like I said, it's just more learning how to have that same mindset. Of course like it boosted my confidence and it makes me really excited for the events that are coming up.

THE MODERATOR: One of the those events that you got into via your play at the KPMG Women's PGA was the U.S. Women's Open this December. Your T-9 performance got you into that event. How did you feel knowing that your play from that week turned into another awesome playing opportunity this December?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I think putting myself in good positions just gives me like better opportunities to play like the U.S. Open. So I've tried to qualify for the U.S. Open like a couple times in the past how many years but never really got through the qualifying process. So knowing that my performance at the KPMG helped me get into the U.S. Open is pretty amazing. Just knowing that everything I've worked hard for is finally paying off.

THE MODERATOR: This has been an interesting rookie year for you. I know we talked about it also during the week at Aronimink. What have you been feeling about now that the end of this season is coming to a close, and how have you been able to reflect on the past few events, including the major, as you wind up into the rests of the events this year?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I think this whole year has been a learning process. Obviously not the year we were all hoping for. Like I said, as a rookie you just try to soak in all the experiences, try to take things from events you played in the others that you are about to play.

So it's a huge learning process, and it's just makes you feel very excited to play more events and just knowing that you get to live your dream.

THE MODERATOR: This week we take on a whole new course in Great Waters here at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Have you scoped it out yet, and what do you think of it and how do you think it fits your game the best?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I actually haven't seen course, but I asked my caddie to walk it. We were going to the putting green and I asked him, How is the course? Does it look great? He was like, Oh, you're going to love it. I was like, Okay, I'll take your word. But I've seen a couple of my friends post on social media and the course looks beautiful. I've seen pictures online and I'm excited to play this week.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're definitely one of those long hitters out here on tour. Do you think your driving and what you've been able to do the last couple events will come into play here this week?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I really hope so. Distance is definitely an advantage, but of course like you still need to make sure everything else in your game is in pretty good shape.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.

Q. Have you always been the longest player in events you played in from the time you were a kid?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I don't even remember being a long hitter back in high school or in the Philippines. I guess I only started to realize in college when people told me, wow, you hit it really far. Yeah, I never really paid attention to that.

In college I definitely got that from my coaches a lot.

Q. So it was never something you actively worked on or tried to increase your distance or develop the swing to be a long driver?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: When I was actually freshman in college we had like an indoor facility, and in the off-season we spent a lot of time there. For some reason I got competitive with myself. We had a TrackMan, so I enjoyed seeing the club speed reach 100. I got to do it a couple times; not a lot. I think that definitely helped. I hit into like a screen so I never really saw where my ball went or direction, but I just think it was more of the effort of me trying to swing it hard. It wasn't even wanting to be longer than anyone else, it was more for my goal in wanting to reach 100 club speed.

Yeah, that's all I can remember.

Q. Did you ever get it over 100 or was 100 maxed out?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: I started in college. I was around 100, and then later on I think I started developing more speed; working out really helped. So I think like when I ended or when I graduated from college my swing speed got to around 106, so I was able to work on that.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned the Philippines, and I know Beth Ann sent a question for me to ask you as well. What is the enthusiasm for golf like in the Philippines, and how are you hoping with your play here and what you've been able to do over the last couple events, how are you hoping that makes an impact at home?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: The support has been pretty crazy. I see it a lot on Facebook. I get tagged in all these posts, and sometimes I get to read the comments. You can tell people are getting excited knowing that more Filipinos are getting on tour. I know Clarice and Dottie out here as well, but it's just nice that, like I said, more people are getting out there and we're being represented. So hopefully we just get to inspire younger girls to pick up the sport.

I think that's one of my goals as a professional golfer, is to encourage younger kids to take up the sport. It's really fun. You get to learn so much. It's not about just the competition. It's more of learning about yourself and just developing your own character.

THE MODERATOR: Have you heard stories from people back in the Philippines after your recent performance at the KPMG Women's PGA?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: So far, honestly, my notifications were exploding on my phone that I kind of tried to step away for just a bit just to spend more time with my family that I was actually with.

THE MODERATOR: That makes sense.

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Another thing that's happening that you have a little bit of a connection to is we are near Eastlake. You competed in the Eastlake Cup. Eastlake Cup will be going on next week. What was it like competing there, and what are some your fondest memories of that event?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Honestly probably one of the greatest experiences I had in college, and we were able to play that the same year Tiger Woods won it. So when you're walking down the 18th hole, like I could just picture -- like everyone knows what I'm talking about when Tiger was walking down 18 and you have the whole crowd behind him just running. I was like, I couldn't even imagine how many people were there. I felt so small. I can't imagine having people run behind me. But playing college golf, that's definitely a huge blessing. It's such an awesome honor be able to play on a course like Eastlake and how we're giving opportunities to play on amazing golf courses.

THE MODERATOR: You mentioned earlier your college coach. To wrap up, this week the LPGA is highlighting some of our nontour areas, like the LPGA professionals. Who have been some of the coaches that stick out in your mind that have really helped you in your journey to become an LPGA professional?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: A lot of people have played an important role. Definitely my swing coach back in the Philippines, Coach Karito (phonetic). My coaches in college definitely all of them from where I started in Gonzaga to the University of Arizona, like Coach Laura and Coach Jay, and Coach Dee, my coaches in the last to years of college, they have had a huge impact on my career and have just helped me so much. I can't even describe like how much they've done for me. Even now that I'm out of college I still keep in touch with them. It's amazing how many great relationships you really create in college. It's definitely a huge blessing to experience all of them as my coaches.

THE MODERATOR: We talked about making an impact in the Philippines, how it's so important to you to be able to show younger girls like the USGA Girls Golf in America. What is it like for and you how important is it for you to be able to shine a light on helping girls reach their full potential when it comes to golf?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: It's really nice that they have opportunities like this. Growing up we didn't really have that much in the Philippines. When I went to the college in the states I'd heard of all the organizations, and I was like, These girls are very, very lucky to have this, just being able to pick up the sport and be with a group of girls and just have fun. I grew up playing with a bunch of boys, which isn't a problem, but helps with how competitive I am today. It's a great opportunity, and I think that's one of the most important things when you're starting to play golf. You need to learn to have fun and enjoy the whole thing. Make sure you have a group of friends you can play with so you can have a great time.

THE MODERATOR: All right, are there any other questions for Bianca? If it you have one, please make sure to let us know in the chat function there. If that is all, Bianca, just one more quick question for you: How long do you think you're going to be able to drive it this week?

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Oh, my gosh. I took a couple days off playing golf, so...

Talking about carry?

THE MODERATOR: Whatever you think.

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Shots like 275.

THE MODERATOR: Hey, that is way better than what I could be doing. (Laughter.) Thank you so much for joining us.

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN: Thank you for having me.