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, practice and go out together. And now they can celebrate together as LPGA winners.
Akie had come close before, but on Sunday she shot a six-under 66 and never lost her lead 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.
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.”
The twins 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 May, 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 Sunday with am eight-under 64 (she was six under on the par-5s Sunday) but it wasn’t enough to catch her sister, who is older by one minute.