Bianca Pagdanganan doesn’t remember a time when golf was not part of her life. Before the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, Asian Games, and Olympics, she was a little girl who asked for toy golf clubs at four years old.

She remembers watching her father head to the course every weekend. Eventually, she picked up the sport because she wanted to spend time with her older sister, who was taking golf lessons then. Little did anyone realize this would be the start of something bigger, not just for her family, but for the country.

Born on October 28, 1997, Bianca spent much of her childhood at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Course in Quezon City. She won the amateur division of the Philippine Ladies Open in 2013 and the Philippine Junior Amateur Open in 2014. She also competed internationally, including at the Junior World Golf Championships in the United States. All this was accomplished before graduating from Assumption Antipolo in 2015.

Those early trips abroad left a lasting impression, guiding her to plan her next steps carefully as a golfer. “I knew I had to study in the US to get more access to opportunities. My parents told me that I had to find my own way to get there, and that way is through a scholarship grant,” she tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle.

As expected, she earned a golf scholarship to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where she majored in Sports Management and was named “Co-West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year” in 2016. After two years, she transferred to the University of Arizona to compete at a higher level. In 2018, she helped the Wildcats win the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship.

It was in college that her teammates began calling her “The Unicorn” due to her rare combination of skill and power. Bianca proved this even more at the LPGA Tour, consistently ranking among the longest hitters in women’s golf.

At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, she won Gold in the team event alongside Yuka Saso and Lois Kaye Go, and bronze in the individual competition. She also brought home two gold medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games individual and team events. The Paris 2024 Olympics was one for the books as she finished fourth place, the highest any Filipino golfer ever reached.

“There’s nothing like hearing Filipino voices on the course,” she remembers fondly. “It gives you energy, makes you feel like you’re playing not just for yourself, but for everyone back home.”

Bianca recently returned to Manila for a homecoming, reconnecting with family and her roots, and squeezing in a one-day shoot with Malbon Philippines. It was a sweet reunion, full of moments that paid tribute to where she came from.

Her day started bright and early at Intramuros Golf Course. It’s a symbolic choice at one of the city’s most historic backdrops. Later, she made her way to the flagship store at Shangri-La The Fort, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, where she greeted ambassadors and Buckets Club members. Known for embracing a non-traditional golf culture, Malbon celebrates individuality and a style that resonates with both golfers and lifestyle enthusiasts alike.

Approached at a golf tournament by Malbon founders Stephen and Erica Malbon, the husband-and-wife team behind the Los Angeles-based brand, Bianca found the connection easy and organic. Erica, who is an American Filipina, shared an immediate cultural affinity with her, making the partnership feel even more personal.

For Bianca, the partnership feels natural. She likes pieces that transition easily from the course to everyday life. She especially loves wearing shorts, something she feels comfortable and confident in, whether she is practicing, traveling, or spending time off duty. The silhouettes suit her style, relaxed but put together.

Away from competition, she explores other interests. She recently started playing the guitar and describes herself as someone who is game for anything, whether that means learning something new or saying yes to a spontaneous trip if her schedule allows. She also loves reading books during her free time.

She admits that last year was not her strongest season. “It was definitely challenging,” she says candidly, looking forward to better results this 2026. And knowing our very own “Unicorn,” she is going back to work with the same discipline and determination that have defined her career, trusting that grit and hard work will lead her to where she is meant to be.