Japan’s Aki Iwai, who recently dropped an “e” from her first name (Akie), had plenty at stake in the final round of The Amundi Evian Championship. It was the first time she entered the final round of a major as one of the leaders, despite a difficult 2026 season that saw her miss three cuts and record just three top-10 finishes in 16 starts. But her bid fell just short on Sunday, as a missed birdie chance on the 18th left her behind the winner Ryu Hae-ran and runner-up Brooke Henderson. The heartbreaking finish brought Iwai to tears during her post-round interview, who, despite the loss, remained optimistic. 

“So, yeah, so we’re struggling, but I got a little confidence, so, yeah, I never give up on winning… I’ll see you next year.”

She opened the $9 million-purse tournament on Thursday with a bogey-free 8-under 63 to take the solo lead by three shots. She took just 27 putts to create history, marking the lowest opening-round score at the event since 2022. Her play dipped slightly in the second round, where she carded a 2-under 69, but she bounced back on Moving Day with a 6-under 65.

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Iwai entered the final round tied at the top, but her start wasn’t ideal: a bogey on the first hole and a double bogey on the third. Although she recovered with birdies on the 6th, 9th, 14th, and 15th, she couldn’t capitalize. The final-round loss stung even more because it was her closest call yet at winning a second LPGA title.

After earning her full LPGA Tour card in December 2024, Iwai claimed her first LPGA Tour title at The Standard Portland Classic in August 2025. But since then, the Japanese pro has missed five cuts and had seven top-10 finishes in 27 starts, which makes her emotional response all the more understandable. 

Despite that, the LPGA Tour winner is optimistic about the future. 

Aki Iwai’s third-place finish at Evian fills her with confidence for AIG

Before the Evian, Iwai finished outside the top 10 at the Chevron Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and the U.S. Women’s Open. Naturally, speaking at the press conference after the final round, a reporter asked her about her experience in the majors this year. 

“It was so funny, so I’m so happy because I was able to play in [front of] a lot of spectators,” she said. “Yeah, I honestly want everyone to know me, so then, yes, I made today also [a] solid day.”

With a strong finish at Evian, the 24-year-old will be gearing up for her final major, the 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open, later this month. When asked whether Sunday’s performance gives her the confidence to perform well in the next major, Iwai said: 

“Yes. Definitely I got confidence, so, yeah, some win, some lose, right? But, yes, good experience for AIG, good lesson.”

Although Iwai didn’t get the finish she was looking for, she got her best finish of this season so far. And that too at a major. Not to forget, she will also go home $606,017 richer.