Aki Iwai carried the 54-hole lead into Sunday at the TOTO Japan Classic, but a final-round 1-under 71 left the 24-year-old from Japan in solo second at 16-under 272. She finished four strokes behind countrywoman Shuri Sakuma at Taiheiyo Club Minori Course in Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan.

Iwai began the day at 15-under, one shot ahead of Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol, but Sakuma passed the field with an 8-under 64 to win at 20-under 268. The runner-up result matches Iwai's best finish of the season, a T2 at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G in September.

The final round started with a setback when Iwai bogeyed the par-5 second. She got the stroke back with a birdie at the par-5 ninth to turn in even-par 36, then birdied the par-5 12th to return to 16-under. A double bogey at the par-3 13th dropped her to 14-under. Iwai responded with birdies on the par-4 15th and the par-5 17th to sign for a back-nine 35. She finished the day with four birdies, one bogey and one double bogey.

Iwai set the pace early in the week. She opened with a 6-under 66 on Thursday, making eight birdies to share the first-round lead with Sayaka Takahashi and Miyu Yamashita. A 3-under 69 on Friday, which included birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 18, put her at 9-under, three shots behind second-round leader Nasa Hataoka. On Saturday, Iwai posted a bogey-free 6-under 66 with six birdies, including back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, to claim a one-shot lead.

For the week, Iwai made 23 birdies against five bogeys and one double bogey.

The finish is a big step forward at this event for Iwai, who tied for 39th in 2024 and tied for 27th in 2025. Her twin sister, Chizzy Iwai, finished T46 this week.

Sunday's result was Iwai's seventh top-10 finish in 27 starts this season. Her 2026 highlights include a solo third at The Amundi Evian Championship in July, a T5 at the Aramco Championship, a T7 at the Dow Championship, a T8 at the HSBC Women's World Championship and a T9 at last week's Maybank Championship. The second-year LPGA Tour member and six-time JLPGA Tour winner earned her only LPGA Tour title at the 2025 Standard Portland Classic.

Iwai is projected to climb from 13th to eighth in the Race to CME Globe. That strengthens her position heading into the final stretch of the season as she looks for a second LPGA Tour victory.

Aki Iwai Finishes Solo Second at 2026 TOTO Japan Classic

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