Chisato Iwai becomes the Rolex First-Time Winner earning her first LPGA Tour victory

Chisato Iwai from Japan wins the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakobaby by six strokes over her closest competitor Jenny Bae from the USA.

The Stats

Some interesting stats from the tournament included:

  • According to KPMG Performance Insights, each of the last three tournaments on the LPGA schedule have been decided by four strokes or more. It’s the first time that has happened on the LPGA Tour since 2016:
  • Chisato Iwai wins by six shots after shooting a final-round 66. She birdied five of first six holes on Sunday (More than half of her birdies throughout the week came from the first six holes of El Camaleon)
  • Hit 8/14 fairways, 13/18 greens in regulation with 25 putts
  • Made the least amount of bogeys (5) across the field through four rounds
  • Recorded the least amount of putts of any player on Sunday (25 putts)
  • Only round in the 60s today among the 33 players that started the round on No. 1
  • Gained 7.14 strokes total, the second-most in final round by an LPGA winner this season
  • First player in seven years to get her first career LPGA Tour victory with a margin of six strokes or more
  • Entered the final round with the highest win probability of any player
  • First player since Rio Takeda (2025 Blue Bay LPGA) to win by six or more strokes

About the Winner

  • Chisato becomes the Rolex First-Time Winner earning her first LPGA Tour victory
  • She is the fifth Rolex First-Time Winner this season and first since Mao Saigo (The Chevron Championship)
  • Is the inaugural winner of the MEXICO Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba
  • Becomes the 12th different winner on the LPGA Tour this season
  • Is the third rookie to win on Tour this season, joining Rio Takeda and Ingrid Lindblad. This is the first time since 2015 that three rookies have won on Tour before the end of May
  • Becomes the third player from Japan to win this season, joining Rio Takeda and Mao Saigo
  • Becomes the 20th different player from Japan with a win on the LPGA Tour
  • Is already in the field at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open & has made two previous starts in 2023 and 2024
  • Earns her first top-10 finish on the LPGA Tour
  • Iwai is in her first season on the LPGA Tour
    o Finished second at LPGA Final Qualifying to earn LPGA Tour Membership for the 2025 season
    o Made 11 starts on the LPGA Tour before becoming a member, five in 2024, five in 2023 and
    one in 2022
  • Iwai has eight wins on the JLPGA Tour including her most recent being the 2025 Daikin Orchid Ladies
    Golf Tournament in March
  • Iwai has a twin sister, Akie, who is also a rookie on the LPGA Tour

Winner comments

On playing with a big lead during the final round
No matter how many birdies I made today and how far ahead I was my mindset didn't change. I just kept
thinking of trying to make the next birdie and trying to stay positive.

On why she got emotional during her speech on the 18th green
So every day supporter support for me, family, team. Yeah, I have good team every day, yeah.”

On what was good for her game at Mayakoba
Yeah, so I played well in the wind because I can read it well and I was able to make some good club selections today, so that's why I was able to play well.”

Sparkling front 9

Chisato took hold of round 4 with a sparkling 31 in the front nine. No-one could catch her after that. Five birdies in nine holes? We'd take that any day of the week!

Missed the Highlights? Watch It Here

Want to relive the drama, and heroics of that unforgettable final day? Watch the final-round highlights here.

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