Chiba, Japan: Teenager Akie Iwai confirmed the strength in depth of women’s amateur golf in Japan with an eye-catching performance in the Japan LPGA Tour’s Panasonic Open Ladies Golf Tournament.
Unfazed by the reputation of her rivals, 18-year-old Iwai produced a brilliant performance that saw her come within one shot of upstaging Japan’s finest female professional golfers.
With rounds of 72, 67 and 73 at Hamano Golf Club, Iwai, a member of the Kanto Golf Association’s regional squad, posted a three-day aggregate of four-under 212.
That left her in third place, just one shot shy of joining a sudden-death play-off with Momoko Ueda and Momoko Osato. Ueda emerged triumphant.
Iwai’s disappointment at missing out so narrowly was offset by a 40-place rise in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), moving her inside the top-15 for the first time in 13th.
She becomes Japan’s second highest ranked player, one place behind Tsubasa Kajitani, who is still basking in the glory of her triumph at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last month.
Three other amateurs had the distinction of making the cut at the Panasonic Open Ladies Golf Tournament – Miyu Abe (tied 42nd), Hanane Nagashima (tied 51st) and Hinano Muguruma (tied 53rd).
Abe advanced eight places to 42nd in the WAGR, while Nagashima soared 732 positions to 1,818th. Muguruma, meanwhile, moved up six spots to 50th.
Among the amateurs to miss the cut at the Panasonic Open Ladies Golf Tournament was Iwai’s twin sister, Chisato, whose opening 68 put her four ahead of Akie. However, while Akie rallied with a 67 on day two, Chisato signed for a 77 and failed to progress to the final round. She is now 31st in the WAGR.
Meanwhile, Ding Wenyi and Chen Peicheng didn’t give the professionals much respect in the Boao Classic on the China Tour, finishing first and second.
Ding returned three 67s to go with a third round 64 to post a total of 265. Chen was four shots further back, one stroke ahead of third spot.
Ding, who was joint 45th in the 2019 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, jumped 26 places to 43rd in the men’s WAGR, while Chen advanced 116 spots to 473rd.
The duo also made significant moves in the Official World Golf Ranking. Runner-up in last year’s Volvo China Open, Ding rose 360 places to 456th and Chen soared 1,002 positions to 849th.
