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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Akie Iwai joins twin sister Chisato as LPGA winner with Portland Classic triumph
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Akie Iwai of Japan is doused after winning the Portland Classic 2025 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club on Aug 17 in Portland, Oregon. LOS ANGELES – Japan's Akie Iwai fired six birdies in a six-under 66 to win the Portland Classic by four strokes and join twin sister Chisato as a first-time LPGA winner in their rookie season on the US tour. Iwai started the day at Edgewater Country Club with a two-stroke lead and never faltered to finish with a 24-under total of 264. Chisato Iwai was among the golfers trying to apply pressure, charging up the leaderboard with an eight-under 64, but it was American Gurleen Kaur who finished second after an impressive, bogey-free seven-under 65 for 268. Former US collegiate standout Kaur, opened with three straight birdies and had four more coming in for her career-best LPGA round. Akie Iwai became the 10th first-time LPGA winner this season and the fifth Japanese player to triumph. She said she had felt pressure to join the flood of Japanese winners, but even more she was inspired by her sister's triumph at the Riviera Maya Open in Mexico in May. '(She) really inspired me,' said world No. 29 Iwai, who was runner-up in 2025 in Thailand and the LA Championship. 'That's why I did my best this year.' Iwai got off to a steady start, with back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth and two more at 11 and 14. She got up and down for par from off the green at 16, then capped her day with another birdie brace, curling in a testing birdie putt at 17 before draining an 18-footer at 18. 'Today I was able to conquer myself,' she said. Her sister, who had been watching the final holes nervously, was the first to rush the green and start the champagne-spray celebrations. 'Just watching, so nervous,' Chisato said as Iwai was coming down the final stretch. 'I'm cheering for her.' But first she had been chasing, and hard. Chisato started the day seven adrift but after an early bogey exploded with eagles at the fifth and seventh – with a birdie at the sixth sandwiched between. She strung together four straight birdies from the ninth through the 12th and rebounded from a bogey at 15 with one last birdie at 17. She finished tied for third on 19-under 269 with Sweden's Linn Grant, who rolled in the seventh birdie of her five-under 67 at 18. Australia's Grace Kim, who captured her first Major title at the Evian Championship in July, started the day two shots off the lead and carded a two-under 70 that left her in sole possession of fifth place on 270. AFP
RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Akie Iwai joins twin sister with first rookie LGPA tour win at Portland Classic
The Iwai twins' incredible season continued as Akie joined sister Chisato on winning on the LPGA Tour as a rookie as she eased to the Portland Classic. Back in May, Chisato came up trumps the inaugural Mexico Riviera Maya Open thanks to a final-round 66 to win by six shots and this time around, her twin also posted a final-day 66 to finish on 24-under par, four clear of American Gurleen Kaur who had been stalking the summit all week. The Japanese golfer went bogey free, finishing with back-to-back birdies to confirm her first win on the LPGA Tour. First to congratulate her was her twin Chisato who finished in a tie for third with Sweden's Linn Grant after a stunning 64 – a score only matched by American amateur Kiara Romero. They are fourth set of sisters to win on the LPGA Tour, joining Jessica and Nelly Korda, Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam.
7 hours ago
- Sport
Japan's Akie Iwai Claims First LPGA Victory at Portland Classic
News from Japan Sports Aug 18, 2025 12:29 (JST) Portland, Oregon, Aug. 17 (Jiji Press)--Japanese golfer Akie Iwai captured her first LPGA tour title on Sunday at the Standard Portland Classic in the U.S. state of Oregon, finishing at 24 under par. At Columbia Edgewater Country Club, a par-72 course, the 23-year-old Japanese took the outright lead Saturday, edging the runner-up by two strokes in the third round. In Sunday's final round, Iwai sealed her maiden LPGA victory with a bogey-free 66 that included six birdies. The title, which followed her twin sister Chisato Iwai's win at the Mexico Riviera Maya Open in May, marked the first time that twin sisters have both won LPGA titles in the Americas. At the Portland Classic, Chisato finished the final round with 64 strokes, coming in third at 19 under. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Japan Times
Akie Iwai wins Portland Classic to join twin sister Chisato as LPGA winner
Akie Iwai fired six birdies in a 6-under par 66 to win the Portland Classic by four strokes and join twin sister Chisato as a first-time LPGA winner in their rookie season on the U.S. tour. Akie Iwai started the day at Edgewater Country Club with a two-stroke lead and never faltered to finish with a 24-under par total of 264. Chisato Iwai was among the golfers trying to apply pressure, charging up the leaderboard with an 8-under par 64, but it was American Gurleen Kaur who finished second after an impressive, bogey-free 7-under par 65 for 268. Kaur, a former college standout, opened with three straight birdies and had four more in her career-best LPGA round. Akie Iwai became the 10th first-time LPGA winner this season and the fifth Japanese player to triumph. She said she had felt pressure to join the flood of Japanese winners, but that she was even more inspired by her sister's triumph at the Riviera Maya Open in Mexico in May. "(She) really inspired me," said world No. 29, the runner-up this year in Thailand and at the LA Championship. "That's why I did my best this year." Akie Iwai got off to a steady start, with back-to-back birdies on the fifth and sixth holes and two more at Nos. 11 and 14. She got up and down for par from off the green at No. 16, then capped her day with another birdie brace, curling in a testing birdie putt at No. 17 before draining an 18-footer at No. 18. "Today I was able to conquer myself," she said. Her sister, who had been watching the final holes nervously, was the first to rush the green and start the champagne-spray celebrations. "Just watching, so nervous," Chisato Iwai said as Akie was coming down the final stretch. "I'm cheering for her." But first she had been chasing, and hard. Chisato Iwai started the day seven adrift but followed an early bogey with eagles at Nos. 5 and 7 — with a birdie at No. 6 sandwiched between. She strung together four straight birdies from the ninth through the 12th holes and rebounded from a bogey at No. 15 with one last birdie at No. 17. She finished tied for third at 19-under 269 with Sweden's Linn Grant, who rolled in the seventh birdie of her five-under 67 at No. 18. Australia's Grace Kim, who captured her first major title at the Evian Championship last month, started the day two shots off the lead and carded a two-under 70 that left her in sole possession of fifth place at 270.
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Akie Iwai wins Portland Classic to join twin sister as LPGA champion
JAPAN 's Akie Iwai carded a six-under 66 to secure her maiden LPGA victory at the Portland Classic. The win makes her the 10th first-time champion this season and the fifth Japanese player to lift a trophy. Iwai finished with a 24-under total of 264, four strokes clear of American Gurleen Kaur in second place. Kaur posted a bogey-free 65, her best LPGA round, but couldn't close the gap on the steady Iwai. Chisato Iwai, Akie's twin sister, charged up the leaderboard with an eight-under 64 to finish tied for third. Chisato had previously won the Riviera Maya Open in May, inspiring Akie to push for her own breakthrough. '(She) really inspired me,' said Akie, who also finished runner-up in Thailand and at the LA Championship this year. Akie started strong with birdies on the fifth and sixth, then added two more at the 11th and 14th. She sealed the win with back-to-back birdies on the final two holes, including an 18-footer at the last. 'Today I was able to conquer myself,' she said after the emotional victory. Chisato was the first to celebrate, rushing onto the green to spray champagne with her sister. 'Just watching, so nervous,' Chisato admitted as Akie closed out the win. Chisato's round included two eagles and four straight birdies, but an early bogey kept her from contention. Sweden's Linn Grant matched Chisato's 19-under total, while Australia's Grace Kim finished fifth at 18-under. The victory cements the Iwai twins as rising stars in women's golf. - AFP
