Iwai Sisters Make History as Champions at Portland Classic, Akie Claims Her First LPGA Title

Akie Iwai captured her first LPGA Tour victory at the Standard Portland Classic, held at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon on August 18th (local time). Recording a six-under-par 66 in the final round, she finished the tournament with a total score of 24-under-par 264, securing her maiden title on the US stage.

Iwai outpaced Glenn Coor, her main rival in the final round, by four strokes to claim the $300,000 winner’s prize.

Having made her LPGA debut this year, Akie Iwai joins her twin sister, Chisato Iwai, as a tour champion. Chisato previously earned her first victory at the Riviera Maya Open in May.

Chisato Iwai also shone at the Portland Classic, tying for third with a 19-under-par 269, underscoring the siblings’ remarkable achievement. This marks only the fourth time in LPGA Tour history that sisters have both claimed tournament titles in the same season.

Akie, already a multi-title winner on the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour, finally realized her dream of winning on U.S. soil with this Portland Classic triumph.

Remarkably, the 2025 LPGA season has yet to see any repeat champions through 21 tournaments—a new record for most consecutive events without a double winner after the season’s start. Japanese players, including the Iwai sisters, Rio Takeda, Mao Saigo, and Miyu Yamashita, have combined for five wins so far, setting the record for most victories by a single nation this season.

Korean golfers Kim Arim, Kim Hyo-joo, Yoo Hae-ran, Lee So-mi, and Lim Jin-hee have all won tournaments this year as well; however, Korea trails Japan by one title, having claimed four wins (with the Dow Championship, won in pairs by Lee So-mi and Lim Jin-hee, counting as a single event).

Meanwhile, Park Sung-hyun and Yoo Hae-ran both finished tied for seventh at the Portland Classic, carding 16-under-par 272. Notably, Park returned to the LPGA Tour’s top ten for the first time since her victory at the 2019 AIG Women’s Open, signaling a promising resurgence.

In the major LA tournaments, Japan and Australia have each claimed two victories, with Sweden winning one. The United States has three wins, Australia and Sweden two apiece, while Thailand, Spain, England, and New Zealand each have one. Last year’s Portland Classic was won by Moriya Jutanugarn.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News Agency