23-year-old rookie Akie Iwai has become the fifth Japanese winner on the LPGA Tour in 2025, winning The Standard Portland Classic by four strokes over Gurleen Kaur.
Iwai came into the day leading by two strokes over major champion Grace Kim, and did good work early, making two birdies on the front nine on 5 and 6.
On the back nine, the leaderboard did tighten up, with Iwai’s twin sister, and LPGA Tour champion, Chisato cutting it close at one point. Iwai turned it on during the tough finishing stretch though, making three birdies on the last five holes, including the last two, to make it look not particularly close.
Iwai played her game all week, aggressive and not always consistent. She hit only 36/56 fairways in regulation, usually a death sentence at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. She recovered well though, only having 107 putts for the week thanks to great skill with the flat stick along with excellent approach shots.
Iwai finished the week at -24 overall, four strokes clear of Kaur, who was hurt by a less than favorable third round 70.
This was Iwai’s fourth top-10 finish of the season and third top-two finish. While she isn’t the most consistent player in the world, she does have high upside every week.
Iwai isn’t just the fifth Japanese player to win this season, she is also the fourth Japanese rookie, joining Miyu Yamashita, Rio Takeda and Chisato Iwai. Those four join Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad as the rookie champions on Tour this season, after no rookies won in 2024.
The Iwai twins are also already the fourth set of sisters to win on the LPGA Tour, joining the Sörenstams, the Jutanugarns and the Kordas.
