Chisato Iwai won her first LPGA title in style. The 22-year-old rookie from Japan lit up the Mexico Riviera Maya Open with a front-nine burst that left the field chasing. She birdied five of her first six holes and kept her foot on the gas, cruising to a six-shot victory and putting the rest of the tour on notice.

Starting the final round one shot behind Jenny Bae, Iwai made an immediate statement. She birdied the first hole while Bae dropped a shot with a bogey. That early two-shot swing flipped the leaderboard and sparked a stretch of golf that separated Iwai from the pack. With four straight birdies from holes three through six, she created a cushion that no one could touch.

Iwai’s short game was sharp. She knocked a wedge to four feet on the third and rolled in a smooth putt on the fourth. At the par-five fifth, she missed the green to the right near the water but calmly chipped it close for another birdie. A 15-footer on the sixth capped the run and gave her total control of the tournament.

Even a bogey at the 14th did little to slow her down. Iwai stayed steady, played smart down the stretch, and walked off the 18th green with a final round 66 and a total score of 12-under 276.

Article Continues Below
Related Golf News
Collin Morikawa walks on the 14th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow
Collin Morikawa shuts down cheating notion at The MemorialKendall Capps ·
Jack Nicklaus speaks to media prior to the start of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio on May 27, 2025.
Jack Nicklaus’ true feelings about Rory McIlroy’s Memorial Tournament snubNathan Yasis ·
Atlanta, Georgia, USA; PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan presents Scottie Scheffler the FedEx Cup after winning the TOUR Championship golf tournament.
PGA Tour making big change that will catch golfers’ attentionChristopher Hennessy ·
Will Zalatoris during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow
PGA Tour fan favorite Will Zalatoris shares unfortunate injury updateKendall Capps ·
Scottie Scheffler surges up Charles Schwab Challenge leaderboard with a 64
Scottie Scheffler surges up Charles Schwab Challenge leaderboard with a 64Chris Spiering ·
Golf news: Scottie Scheffler shows discomfort during Charles Schwab Challenge
Scottie Scheffler shows discomfort during Charles Schwab ChallengeChris Spiering ·

Jenny Bae, who led after three rounds, couldn’t recover from her slow start. She shot 73 and finished second at six under. Haeji Kang placed third at five under, while Linn Grant, Weiwei Zhang, and others tied for fourth at four under. The closest contenders faded as Iwai pulled away.

Iwai’s twin sister, Akie Iwai, also in her rookie season, finished tied for 16th at two under. Akie has already posted two runner-up finishes this year, adding to the growing buzz around the Iwai sisters.

Before joining the LPGA, Chisato Iwai had eight wins on the Japan LPGA Tour. She earned her LPGA card by finishing second in last year’s qualifying tournament. Now she adds a tour victory to her growing resume and becomes the third rookie to win this season.

The LPGA returned to Mexico for the first time since 2017. While the field lacked some of the top-ranked names ahead of the U.S. Women’s Open, Iwai gave fans a performance to remember. Her six-shot win ties the largest margin on tour this year and earns her a $375,000 prize.