Golfers lose way, way more often than they win. But when a player gets so firmly in the mix to have not just a finger, but a whole hand on a major trophy late Sunday and still fall short then it’s no surprise golf fans will see plenty of emotion spill out.

That’s what happened after regulation at the Amundi Evian Championship. While Brooke Henderson and eventual winner Haeran Ryu rode off in carts back to the tee of the par-5 18th, Aki Iwai was choked up. The finishing round, she said, was so very meaningful. She was so very close.

Despite the loss, just having the opportunity to be there meant a lot.

She has no choice now, but to go onwards. Looking back there was certainly a big opportunity for her biggest win yet on the LPGA Tour.

In the end, Iwai finished one shot back of Henderson (who made eagle on the 72nd hole to finish at 19 under) and Ryu, whose first birdie of the day came on that same finishing hole to also finish at 19 under.

Iwai, whose solo third was her best-career major championship result (she finished T10 at the Evian Championship in 2024 and backed that up with a T7 at the AIG Women’s Open), forged an impressive rally Sunday after a tough start.

She bogeyed the opening hole of the day – grouped with Ryu and Henderson – but got it right back with a birdie on the par-3 2nd. But she struggled to a double bogey on the par-4 3rd. Iwai, whose lone win on the LPGA Tour came in Portland last season, added two birdies before making the turn to get it back to even par for the day.

Iwai then birdied both the par-3 14th and the par-5 15th but couldn’t add any more circles on her scorecard over the final three holes – including the par-5 finisher after leaving herself in a tough spot off the tee.

Ryu defeated Henderson in the first playoff hole with a birdie to win her second major in a row after topping the field at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship just 13 days ago.

For Iwai, although her attempt to win the Evian Championship came up short, she said having the opportunity to play in front of so many spectators in the final group of the final round of a major was something she won’t forget any time soon.

“It was so funny; so, I'm so happy because I was able to play in a lot of spectators,” Iwai said. “I honestly want everyone… to know me. So yes, today (was) also solid day.”

This week marked Iwai’s fourth top-10 finish of the season, with her previous best result coming at the Aramco Championship in April where she finished tied for fifth. She also notched a top-20 result at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in her previous start.

Last year at the Evian Champions Iwai missed the cut and she said Saturday she wanted “revenge.” She felt optimistic heading into the final round, she mentioned. It was a tough start but a fabulous rally and as the final curtain fell it wasn’t her day.

But Iwai was proud, she said, of never giving up.

And with one more major left on the calendar, maybe the golf gods will reward her for that fine attitude.

“Definitely I got confidence,” Iwai said. “Yeah. Some win, some lose, right? But, yes, good experience for AIG, good lesson.”

An Emotional Aki Iwai Proud of Her Week at The Amundi Evian Championship

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