[PHOTO: Orlando Ramirez]
Akie Iwai and her twin sister, Chisato, do almost everything together.
The two LPGA Tour rookies are best friends and nearly inseparable. They work out, dance, eat, practise and go out together. And now they can celebrate together as LPGA winners.
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Akie had come close before, but she shot a six-under 66 and never lost her lead on the final day to win the Standard Portland Classic at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland. She shot 67-67-64-66–264, 24-under in the event and beat Gurleen Kaur by four shots. Australia’s Grace Kim finished fifth at 18-under.
The Iwais made history as the first set of twins to win on tour.
“This year she won, so she inspired me,” Akie said through a translator. “I do my best this year. Today, is a [memorable] day for me.”
They are used to making history as they were the first set of twins to play together in a round on the LPGA, too.
Chisato, who won the Mexico Riviera Maya Open by six shots in April, finished tied for third, five shots behind her sister. They are already competitive in a friendly way, but that got Akie’s competitive juices flowing more. Chisato played really well today with an eight-under 64 (she was six under on the par 5s for the final day) but it wasn’t enough to catch her sister, who is older by one minute.
The emotions for Akie were different seeing her twin win and then winning herself. She was feeling all sorts of things before she teed off with a two-shot lead in the final pairing.
“Amazing. So actually in the morning, I was a little bit nervous, but I trust the cheering in Japan, and with my family and my team,” Akie said.
The 23-year-old Japanese stars became the fourth set of sisters to win on tour, joining Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam, Nelly and Jessica Korda, and Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn.
Akie is the fourth Japanese rookie to win on tour this year and sixth rookie overall. She won six times on the LPGA of Japan Tour, and now has confidence of her ability to win on the LPGA in her first season.
Akie’s putting was a huge reason why she secured the $US300,000 winner’s pay cheque. She also won a Rolex watch for becoming a first-time winner. She need only 26 putts on the final day – including consecutive birdie putts to finish the round – and averaged 26.75 putts a round for the tournament.
When she holed that final birdie putt on the 72nd hole, she raised her arms to the sky. Chisato was the first to run onto the green and spray her with champagne.
It wasn’t a leaderboard that confirmed the victory for her on the 18th hole. It was seeing her mother, Yuji, wiping away tears, that signified a win. Her father, Emiko, followed Akie in her round. Chisato was a few holes ahead, and their mum followed her. Emiko might be Akie’s good luck charm. She finished second twice before (at Honda LPGA Thailand and JM Eagle LA Championship) but finally closed it out.
She became the fourth Japanese rookie to win on tour, joining Rio Takeda (Blue Bay LPGA), Mao Saigo (Chevron Championship) and Miyu Yamashita (AIG Women’s Open).
“So many Japanese players won this year, so I got a little pressure,” Akie said. “But today, I was able to conquer myself.”
