PORTLAND, Oregon – Japan’s Akieiwai eagles the fifth hole and birds off Columbia Edgewater’s three other par-5s, shooting an 8-under 64 on Saturday to earn a two-stroke lead in the standard Portland Classic.
Iwai will join Twin Sister Chysat as the winner of the LPGA Tour this year after finishing second in Thailand in February and second in Los Angeles in April.
She held an exhibition on Saturday where she hit the ball in almost mild conditions on a tree-lined course, setting up the Eagle with a hit from five yards to three feet, and hit the feet twice for a birdie.
“My style, my style of golf is offensive,” she said. “So this week isn’t the same. Go for the pin again – boom! boom! every shot, every hole. That’s it.”
Australia’s Grace Kim came in second after being 67 years old. She stopped a 156-yard 7-iron shot for the Eagle from the left rough rock on the 17th of the par-4.
“We were trying to see if we could get a drop,” Kim said. “I wasn’t completely over the sprinkler head box, so you knew you had to hit it. It leaked again. ‘Oh, get over the rough’ somehow went into the hole. ”
Ringland was 65 and under 14 years old. The Swedes won the 2023 Dana Open with her only LPGA Tour title.
“I tried to go outside and I wouldn’t just say I’m happy, but I’m just accepting anything today,” Grant said. “I’m very mature and I think it was a lot of fun.”
Gurleen Kaur had a 70 at 13 under, and Aditi Ashok (65) had another stroke with Gina Kim (67).
Chisato Iwai, who won Mexico in Mayakoba in May, was in the 11-year-old group, 66 years old. She also eagged the fifth hole.
Haeran Ryu was one of the only top 10 players in the world on the 9th place field and was under 11. She had a hole-in-one in 16th place for 177 yards at 67.
Akie Iwai dropped the stroke in PAR-3 seconds and stretched five holes at 5 under. She set up the Eagle by hitting her second shot three feet and stepped on the par-4 six.
On the back nine, she birded three of her first four holes.
She sticks to an offensive approach on Sunday.
“There’s no change. There’s no change. It’s the same as usual,” she said.
Two-time champion Brooke Henderson, a stroke back after opening 65, followed in the 73 rounds with his second 73, reaching 68 years old. The Canadian star has not won since January 2023.
The second round leader Jeongeun Lee5 was also 10 under. She shot 74.
Amateur Chiararromero was 8 years old, 72 years old. The University of Oregon players won the 2023 US Women’s Junior and the 2025 Big Ten title.
The tournament is the longest continuous event on the LPGA Tour, with the exception of majors dating back to 1972.
