Akie Iwai leads at windy Hoakalei, with 8 players a shot back and Nelly Korda 2 behind

By Canadian Press on October 3, 2025.

HONOLULU (AP) — Akie Iwai fought through gusting wind Friday at Hoakalei Country Club to take the third-round lead in the LOTTE Championship, with eight players a stroke back and Nelly Korda two behind.

Iwai, the 23-year-old Japanese player who won the Portland Classic in August for her first LPGA Tour title, shot a 1-under 71 in the difficult afternoon conditions to get to 13-under 203.

Second-round leader Youmin Hwang followed her career-best 62 on Thursday with a 75 to drop into a tie for second with Minami Katsu (66), Hyo Joo Kim (66), Megan Khang (67), Peiyun Chien (68), Brooke Matthews (69), Pornanong Phatlum (69) and Jessica Porvasnik (72).

The second-ranked Korda birdied the 18th for a 69 to get to 11 under.

Coming off a seven-victory season, Korda hasn’t won this year and has lost her No. 1 ranking to Jeeno Thitikul. The tour has had a different winner in all 24 of its official tournaments this year.

Nasa Hataoka also was 11 under after a 71. Defending champion A Lim Kim shot a 66 to get to 10 under.

Iwai steadied herself after a bogey on the par-3 12th, making a sensational up-and-down on No. 13 for the first of six straight pars. She missed a chance to double the lead on the par-5 18th, blasting out of a bunker to 6 feet and failing to get the birdie try to fall.

On the par-4 13th, Iwai avoided a second straight bogey after hitting into a massive fairway bunker and leaving her approach 56 yards short in the right rough. She hit a wedge to 3 feet to start the par run.

Iwai shot a 64 on Wednesday to take the first-round lead, then had a 68 on Thursday to fall three strokes behind Hwang, the Korean LPGA star playing on a sponsor invitation.

Iwai’s twin sister Chisato, also has won this year as a tour rookie, taking the Mayakoba event in May. On Friday, Chisato was 9 under after a 71.

After the event, the LPGA heads to Asia for tournaments five straight weeks in Shanghai, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The Associated Press