Akie Iwai lead grew stronger at the Standard Portland Classic after a remarkable round on Saturday. The Japanese golfer eagled the fifth hole and birdied three other par 5s at Columbia Edgewater. As a result, she finished with an 8-under 64, giving her a two-stroke advantage over the field.
Iwai has shown impressive form throughout the year. She looks to join her twin sister Chisato, who won at Mayakoba in May, as an LPGA Tour winner in 2025. So far, Akie has posted second-place finishes in Thailand in February and Los Angeles in April. Therefore, this strong showing in Portland puts her closer to capturing her first title.
On Saturday, Iwai displayed aggressive and precise ball striking. For instance, she hit a 5-wood 200 yards to three feet, setting up her eagle. In addition, she hit shots within a foot for birdies twice. Her last birdie came on the par-4 18th hole, finishing at 18-under 198 for the tournament.
“My golf style is aggressive,” Iwai said. “No changes this week. I aim for the pin every shot — boom! boom! Every hole, every shot.” Meanwhile, Australian Grace Kim followed with a 67, moving into second place. She made an eagle on the 17th hole, holing a 156-yard 7-iron from the left rough. Kim described the shot as a mix of hope and luck, as she navigated sprinkler heads and rough.
Linn Grant, the 2023 Dana Open winner, carded a 65 to reach 14 under. She spoke about playing mature and enjoying the round despite some challenges. Other notable players include Gurleen Kaur (70, 13 under), Aditi Ashok (65), and Gina Kim (67). Additionally, Chisato Iwai, Akie’s twin, also eagled the fifth hole and shot a 66 to sit at 11 under. World No. 9 Haeran Ryu joined her at 11 under, highlighted by a hole-in-one on the 16th.
Akie Iwai lead shows no signs of slowing. She dropped only one stroke on the par-3 second hole but then went five holes in 5 under. Moreover, her confident approach continued on the back nine, birdying three of the first four holes. Two-time champion Brooke Henderson sits one stroke behind at 10 under. After a shaky second round, she rebounded with a 68 on Saturday. Meanwhile, second-round leader Jeongeun Lee5 struggled with a 74, also at 10 under.
Amateur Kiara Romero remains impressive at 8 under after shooting 72. The University of Oregon player won the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2025 Big Ten title. Finally, the Standard Portland Classic remains one of the longest-running LPGA Tour events, dating back to 1972, just behind the majors.
