Photo Credit: LPGA/Getty Images
EWA BEACH, Hawai‘i — The wind doesn’t just shape golf balls at Hoakalei. It shapes careers, character, and entire tournaments. On Friday, Round 3 of the LOTTE Championship turned into a survival test as steady morning breezes became afternoon gusts of 20 to 30 miles per hour. The result? A leaderboard so tight it feels less like a golf tournament and more like a horse race barreling toward the final stretch.
At the top, Japan’s Akie Iwai holds a slender one-stroke lead at 13-under. Behind her, a pack of eight players sits just a shot back at 12-under. Behind them lurks Nelly Korda, only two off the pace. In other words: buckle up. Saturday in Hawai‘i is going to be chaos, drama, and potentially, history.
Akie Iwai: Calm in the Chaos
Some players win with fire, others with ice. Iwai seems to prefer a smile. After hitting an astonishing number of greens in regulation this week, she’s turned Hoakalei into a canvas for her iron play. “Yes, I would say I’m a shot maker,” she said, with quiet confidence.
Her Round 3 71 was workmanlike — three birdies, two bogeys, and zero panic. Asked if leading affects her mindset, she brushed it off: “No change. Just keep going. Have smiling and have fun.” She even admitted she “forgets what happened today” once she leaves the course, preparing herself mentally to start fresh.
That’s a powerful weapon in golf: short memory, big heart. Iwai already proved her closing chops this season with a victory at the Portland Classic. On Saturday, she’ll try to add another trophy to a rookie campaign that’s rapidly turning into a breakthrough year.
The Eight Who Stalk Her
If Iwai wants to win, she’ll have to hold off a group that looks like a sampler platter of the modern LPGA: major champions, rookies, grinders, and veterans desperate for their moment.
- Minami Katsu, the 25-year-old Japanese star, matched the day’s low with a 66. Her putter was red hot. “I feel like my putt today was working really well… I had a pretty long birdie putt, too, so I felt like that kept my momentum going today.”
- Brooke Matthews, a young American, shot 69 and embraced the thrill of contention: “This is what we work for… I’ll either win or I won’t. Both are survivable outcomes.” She’s here to soak it in — and maybe shock the field.
- Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand played bogey-free 69 golf, leaning on her short game. “I didn’t hit it so well today, but tried to get like save for today,” she admitted. At 35, still seeking her first LPGA win, she knows the clock is ticking.
- Megan Khang (67), Peiyun Chien (68), and Jessica Porvasnik (72) are all in that tie at 12-under. Porvasnik, a Monday qualifier, is already writing the Cinderella story of the week.
And then there’s Youmin Hwang, who lit up Hoakalei with a second-round 62 but stumbled to 75 in the wind. Golf can be cruel like that — one day you’re a record-setter, the next you’re hanging on for dear life.
Korda and Kim: Big Names Lurking
It would be foolish to ignore the shadows just two shots back.
Nelly Korda is right there, at 11-under. She’s playing the long game — literally and figuratively. “For me the most important thing is giving 100% to every shot. That’s what I’m going to do tomorrow,” she said. With her length, poise, and history of clutch Sundays, she remains the scariest name on the board.
And don’t sleep on A Lim Kim, last year’s champion. After a rough Thursday, she bounced back with a sizzling 66. Kim thrives in the elements. “Mostly, the more wind I have the more benefit, because I have a lot of different shots,” she explained. That adaptability could be the edge no one else has when Hoakalei bares its teeth again.
Hawai‘i Pride: Corpuz and Galdiano Deliver
For the local gallery, the loudest roars have been reserved for two Punahou School alums: Allisen Corpuz and Mariel Galdiano.
Galdiano, the rookie, finally had her Hawai‘i breakthrough. She posted a 68 — her best round of the week — thanks to four birdies on the front nine. “Every day my sponsor and his family have been out here and a lot of family and friends… it’s great to see them up close and personal. Them always clapping for me always cheers me up,” she said. For a player who once questioned whether she even wanted to continue after turning pro during COVID, this week feels like redemption.
Corpuz, already a U.S. Women’s Open champion, knows what it takes to grind. After birdies at 2 and 3, she faltered late, carding an even-par 72. “It just got really windy on the back nine,” she admitted. But her smile suggests she’s eager for one more charge: “A lot of people are going low out here, so I’m just going to try to throw up a bunch of birdies tomorrow.”
Both women sit at 7-under. They won’t win from there, but their presence adds local color and heart to a tournament already buzzing with energy.
The Wind Factor
Ask any player what defined Round 3, and the answer is unanimous: wind. Matthews called the back nine “definitely more gusty” with “trickier pins.” Galdiano described it bluntly: “On the back nine they were blowing about 20 to 30 miles per hour. It can get pretty nasty out here.”
Even Kim, who welcomes the challenge, acknowledged it forced creativity: “I can hit different shots. That mean more benefit, yeah.”
That makes Saturday’s forecast as important as the leaderboard. Expect the gusts again. Expect more volatility. And expect a champion who can ride the chaos rather than resist it.
The Pressure Cooker of Saturday
There are no hiding places now. Iwai’s smile, Matthews’ candor, Phatlum’s patience, Korda’s presence — all will be tested in the furnace of a final round where one swing could mean a trophy or heartbreak.
Katsu put it best: “Hopefully just try to be patient and hopefully I finish with a smile at the end.”
Patience, smiles, survival. That’s the recipe at Hoakalei. But someone will need a final round of brilliance, too. The champion on Saturday won’t just tame the wind; she’ll tame herself.
Top 10 Leaderboard – After Round 3
| Pos | Player | Score | R3 Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akie Iwai | –13 | 71 |
| T2 | Hyo Joo Kim | –12 | 66 |
| T2 | Minami Katsu | –12 | 66 |
| T2 | Megan Khang | –12 | 67 |
| T2 | Peiyun Chien | –12 | 68 |
| T2 | Brooke Matthews | –12 | 69 |
| T2 | Pornanong Phatlum | –12 | 69 |
| T2 | Jessica Porvasnik | –12 | 72 |
| T2 | Youmin Hwang | –12 | 75 |
| T10 | Nelly Korda | –11 | 69 |
| T10 | Nasa Hataoka | –11 | 71 |
This isn’t just golf. This is theater on grass, with the Pacific winds as the stage manager. Saturday, the LOTTE Championship becomes a sprint — one player will rise, eight will fall just short, and the breeze will decide who carries the trophy under the Hawaiian sun.
