For the second time in the 2025 LPGA Tour season, Akie Iwai earned a runner-up finish on Sunday, April 20.
After shooting an 8-under 64 on Saturday, Iwai was tied for the JM Eagle LA Championship lead heading into the final round at El Caballero Country Club in Los Angeles.
A day later, the 22-year-old tour rookie carded a 3-under 69. In the fourth round, the Saitama Prefecture native had five birdies and two bogeys to finish at 20-under 268.
Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad beat Iwai by one stroke, completing the tourney at 21-under 267 for her first LPGA Tour victory in her third start.
Iwai had a chance to force a sudden-death playoff with Lindblad, but she bogeyed the par-4 18th hole.
"I'm very frustrated," Iwai said, according to Kyodo News. "I was so nervous on the last putt on the 18th and couldn't make it. It was a waste. I have a chance to bounce back next week, so I'll try to channel my frustration then."
Japan's Miyuu Yamashita finished in a three-way tie for third at 19-under 269 along with Germany's Esther Henseleit and Lauren Coughlin of the United States.
Also for Japan, Nasa Hataoka, who had the best performance of the final round Sunday (9-under 63), earned a top-10 finish, placing sixth overall at 18-under 270.
Akie Iwai Demonstrates Talent on the LPGA Tour
In four starts on the LPGA Tour in 2025, Iwai has made the cut three times.
She placed second at the Honda LPGA Thailand on February 23, carding a 27-under 261. Iwai finished one stroke behind winner Angel Yin.
In between her strong performance in Thailand and the LA Championship, Iwai tied for 44th at the Ford Championship in Chandler, Arizona, on March 30.
Up next: the Chevron Championship (April 24-27) in The Woodlands, Texas.
Baseball
New Father Ohtani Returns to the Dodgers Lineup
Playing in his first game after the birth of his daughter, Shohei Ohtani was hitless in three at-bats and walked once on Sunday, April 20 in Arlington, Texas.
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Texas Rangers 1-0.
Ohtani missed the first two games of the three-game series while remaining in California to be with his wife Mamiko for the birth of their first child.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts correctly stated the length of time players are permitted to spend on the paternity list in his remarks about Ohtani on Sunday.
"I think in paternity, you get three days," Roberts said, according to MLB.com. "But for him to just make sure the baby was healthy and to get back here, and to be a part of this, certainly shows his ability to balance life and work. Good to have him back, and most importantly, I'm happy [he] and Mamiko have a healthy baby girl."
Figure Skating
US Wins World Team Trophy, Japan Finishes 2nd
First-place finishes in the free skate by world champions Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu in the men's and women's singles events helped the United States clinch the overall title in the World Team Trophy on Saturday, April 19.
Team USA finished with 126 points, followed by Japan (110 and Italy (86) in the six-nation biennial event at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. France, Canada and Georgia placed fourth, fifth and sixth.
Malinin and American teammate Jason Brown were 1-2 in the men's free skate with 183.88 and 179.33 points, respectively. Italy’s Daniel Grassl took third (172.45), followed by Shun Sato (169.62) and Yuma Kagiyama (168.93) in fourth and fifth.
In the women's free skate, Liu topped the scoring chart with 150.97 points, followed by fellow American Amber Glenn (148.93). Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto was third (145.00).
The World Team Trophy awards points to teams based on skaters' results after both the short program and free skate.
In the pairs competition, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who claimed their second world title in Boston on March 27, won the short program and the free skate.
Did You Know?
New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga leads the National League in ERA (0.79) heading into the week of April 21-27. In his third MLB season, Senga is 3-1. He's allowed zero runs in each of his last three starts.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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