Pagdanganan, del Rosario eye strong Epson Tour finish ahead of Asian Games

Pauline del Rosario (left) and Bianca Pagdanganan

MANILA, Philippines — With only three tournaments left on the 2026 Epson Tour calendar, the Race for the Card is entering its decisive stretch. And the contenders, as well as those still fighting to break into the coveted Top 80, are expected to raise the intensity starting with the Dream First Bank Charity Classic on Friday, (Saturday Manila time) at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City, Kansas.

For Bianca Pagdanganan and Pauline del Rosario, however, the 54-hole tournament carries an added significance. The ICTSI-backed Filipinas are also using the event as part of their buildup for a bigger assignment — the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan from September 30 to October 3.

Pagdanganan and del Rosario arrive in Kansas coming off contrasting campaigns.

Pagdanganan, the Philippines’ big-hitting standout, has steadily found her rhythm, with her overall game showing encouraging signs in recent weeks. She capped last week’s Wildhorse Golf Classic in Oregon with a tie for 15th after a closing 69, her latest indication that her game is trending in the right direction as the season enters its final phase.

Del Rosario, meanwhile, is still searching for consistency after a difficult campaign. She has missed the cut in 10 of 14 tournaments this season and will be looking to regain her form and confidence before turning her attention to the Asian Games.

The upcoming Asiad also means both Filipinas will miss the season-ending Epson Tour Championship from October 1-4, which is scheduled during the same week as the golf competitions of the Asian Games.

That makes the Dream First Bank Charity Classic and the remaining September events all the more important for Pagdanganan and del Rosario, who are determined to make the most of their final opportunities before heading to Japan.

Pagdanganan opens her campaign at 8:29 a.m. Friday from the first tee, where she will play alongside Mexico’s Maria Fassi and American Jackie Lucena.

Del Rosario, meanwhile, has a 9:46 a.m. tee time from No. 10 with Canada’s Yeji Kwon and Mexico’s Paula Miranda.

Three other Filipinas will also be in the field.

Tomi Arejola gets an 8:09 a.m. start from the first tee with Taiwan’s Tzu-Yi Chang and American Kary Hollenbaugh, while Dottie Ardina tees off at 8:40 a.m. from No. 10 alongside Germany’s Christin Eisenbeiss and compatriot Clariss Guce.

Ardina and Guce have already secured their places in the Epson Tour Championship by staying inside the season-long Top 80. Still, both will be keen to sharpen their games over the next three tournaments, beginning with this week’s event, before the Guardian Championship in Alabama and the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout in Arizona in September.

For the Filipina campaigners, the Kansas stop thus offers more than another chance to improve their season numbers. For Pagdanganan and del Rosario, it is also an important competitive tune-up ahead of the Asian Games; for Ardina and Guce, it is an opportunity to build momentum heading into the Epson Tour finale.