Akie Iwai, an extremely-gifted 23-year-old from Japan, is atop the leaderboard after first-round play of the CPKC Women’s Open. She’s now sitting on a dazzling three-stroke lead at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Canada. Surrounding her performance with all this electricity and buzz is the fact that it will be her first ever Canadian performance. After a great second round of 69, Iwai now finds herself at 9-under 133 for the tournament.
Iwai, a six-time winner on the Japan LPGA Tour, delivered an impressive performance on Friday. She absolutely crushed the front nine, going even par while running up two birdies and yes, facing two bogeys. Her consistent play underscores her confidence after recently winning the Portland Classic, where she became a rookie LPGA Tour champion.
Iwai’s win on the LPGA Tour probably ranks as the most stunning achievement of her impressive overall total of 13 wins. Her most recent victory came in January 2023. The young golfer’s rise has been truly meteoric, particularly as she’s worked to prove herself on the brightest of international stages.
At the same time, her twin sister, Chisato Iwai — in the tournament — had a hard time getting into a groove. She started out strong with a stellar opening round, shooting 7-under 64. She faltered in the second and third rounds, shooting 75 then 69 to miss the cut. Now Chisato Iwai has joined her sister as a rookie LPGA Tour champion. Just a few months ago, she made history with her win at Mayakoba in Mexico.
As Akie Iwai, pictured here during the Supergrass Match Play, heads into the weekend rounds, she is concentrating on keeping that lead.
No change mind. No change swing. Just focus my golf – Akie Iwai
Fellow competitor Brooke Henderson of Canada made no secret about her desire to play at a competitive level for many years. “I’m right there. Just got to keep going, put two more solid rounds together,” she stated, highlighting the pressure and excitement of the tournament atmosphere.
As only two rounds remain on the play schedule, everyone is watching to see what Iwai does. Not surprisingly, Kagawa is focused on winning her first title on the LPGA Tour outside of Japan. Her notable experience and recent success bodes well as she continues to guide herself through this critical moment in her fledgling career.
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