Akie Iwai
Akie Iwai 岩井 明愛 | |
---|---|
Personal information | |
Born | Saitama Prefecture, Japan | 5 July 2002
Height | 161 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
Sporting nationality | Japan |
Career | |
Turned professional | 2021 |
Current tour(s) | LPGA of Japan Tour (joined 2021) LPGA Tour |
Professional wins | 8 |
Number of wins by tour | |
LPGA of Japan Tour | 6 |
Other | 2 |
Best results in LPGA major championships | |
Chevron Championship | T30: 2024 |
Women's PGA C'ship | T32: 2024 |
U.S. Women's Open | 74: 2024 |
Women's British Open | T7: 2024 |
Evian Championship | T10: 2024 |
Akie Iwai (岩井 明愛, Iwai Akie) (born 5 July 2002) is a Japanese professional golfer. She plays on the LPGA of Japan Tour where she has 6 wins.[1]
Early life and amateur career
[edit]Iwai was born in Saitama Prefecture and started playing golf at 8 years old.[1] In 2019, she won the Junior Golf World Cup.
Professional career
[edit]Iwai turned professional and joined the LPGA of Japan Tour in 2021. As a rookie she won a title on the developmental circuit, the Step-Up tour, and the JLPGA Rookies Championship.[1]
She had her breakthrough in 2023 when she won three titles and finished second on the money list.[2]
In 2024, she finished top-10 in two LPGA majors, and rose to 26th in the Women's World Golf Rankings.[3][4]
In December 2024, Iwai earned her LPGA Tour card for 2025 by finishing T-5 at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Her twin sister, Chisato, is also a professional golfer on the LPGA of Japan Tour.[6]
Professional wins (8)
[edit]LPGA of Japan Tour wins (6)
[edit]No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 16 Apr 2023 | KKT Cup Vantelin Ladies Open | 67-70-72=209 | −7 | 1 stroke | Lala Anai Mao Nozawa Jiyai Shin |
2 | 17 Sep 2023 | Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic | 63-68-70=201 | −15 | 1 stroke | Sakura Koiwai |
3 | 24 Sep 2023 | Miyagi TV Cup Dunlop Women's Open Golf Tournament | 65-69-69=203 | −13 | 2 strokes | Mao Saigo |
4 | 26 May 2024 | Resort Trust Ladies | 68 68-69-68=273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Rio Takeda |
5 | 16 Jun 2024 | Nichirei Ladies | 71-68-64=203 | −13 | 1 stroke | Sakura Koiwai Shuri Sakuma |
6 | 15 Sep 2024 | Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic | 70-66-64=200 | −16 | 1 stroke | Miyū Yamashita |
Step-Up Tour wins (1)
[edit]No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 19 Sep 2021 | Sanyo Shimbun Ladies Cup | 70-66=136^ | −8 | 1 stroke | Hanane Nagashima (a) |
^Shortened to 36 holes due to weather
Other wins (1)
[edit]No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 Dec 2021 | JLPGA Rookies Championship Kaga Electronics Cup | 69-71=140 | −4 | Playoff | Kotoko Uchida |
Results in LPGA majors
[edit]Tournament | 2023 | 2024 |
---|---|---|
Chevron Championship | T30 | |
U.S. Women's Open | CUT | 74 |
Women's PGA Championship | T32 | |
The Evian Championship | T10 | |
Women's British Open | T11 | T7 |
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Team appearances
[edit]Amateur
- Junior Golf World Cup (representing Japan): 2019 (winners)
Professional
- Hitachi 3Tours Championship (representing JLPGA): 2023 (winners)
Source:[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Akie Iwai". LPGA of Japan. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Akie Iwai leads Japan Classic after opening with 9-under 63". ESPN. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Golf: Lydia Ko wins Women's British Open, 2 Japanese share 7th". Kyodo News. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Akie Iwai". Women's World Golf Rankings. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Players Finishing in Positions 1-25 and Ties Earn LPGA Tour Status in Category 15". LPGA. 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Golf is starting to see double. Identical twins from Japan, Denmark and Germany are competing". KSTP-TV. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Akie Iwai". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
External links
[edit]- Akie Iwai at the LPGA of Japan Tour official site
- Akie Iwai at the Women's World Golf Rankings official site
- Akie Iwai on Instagram