Oregon’s Kiara Romero finishes strong at LPGA Portland Classic

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — University of Oregon women’s golf star Kiara Romero brought her successful week to a close on Sunday afternoon at the LPGA’s Portland Classic with a top-10 finish.

The 19-year-old completed the tournament with a 72-hole total of 16-under and tied for 7th place. She was the highest ranking amateur golfer in the field competing on a sponsor exemption at Columbia Edgewater Country Club. Romero posted her lowest round of the four days on Sunday, carding a 64.

This finish earned her two more points in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway, bringing her total to 13 LEAP points so far. She now only needs seven more to qualify for LPGA Tour membership. This new program allows high-level amateur athletes the chance to qualify for Tour membership if they can get to 20 points.

Her top-10 finish in Portland earned her a spot in the CPKC Women’s Open at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Ontario, Canada in late August.

This comes after Romero won the McCormack Medal as the No. 1 woman in the 2025 World Amateur Golf Ranking. This allows the 2025 Big Ten Champion to compete in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club and the 2026 AIG Women’s Open at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in England.

The Standard Portland Classic winner is a rookie from Japan, Akie Iwai, who ended her weekend 24 strokes under par, 264. The 23-year-old cemented her first LPGA title with a birdie on the 18th.