– Kiara Romero is currently the reason why there isn’t a Spanish player as the Number One in the world amateur ranking. She, with a Latin surname but born in the United States, holds the top position ahead of Paula Martín and Andrea Revuelta. In fact, a few days ago she received the McCormack Medal, recognising her as the best amateur golfer in the world in 2025. This already opens the doors for her to the US Open and the AIG Women’s Open in 2026.
Days after that recognition, the young player from the University of Oregon is playing her first regular tournament on the LPGA Tour with an invitation. It’s the The Standard Portland Classic. Well, Romero has shot 67 and 69 and not only comfortably made the cut, but she’s also in the fight for everything with a total of -8. Eleventh place. Until now, she had only played one other professional tournament in her career. It was the US Open earlier this year, and she also made the cut. Serious business Kiara Romero. A tough rival has emerged for the Spanish players to dominate the world. At least for now… we’ll see what happens in a few months.
– If there’s something this Portland Classic teaches us, it’s that women’s golf is much more fluctuating than men’s. And that’s saying a lot. For example, we discover that Amelia Lewis has made her first cut of 2025. On the thirteenth attempt. Or that Rose Zhang has delivered her third card under 70 strokes of the year. Zhang, the golfer who seemed she was going to sweep everyone when she turned professional just two years ago and who is now barely playing tournaments due to an uncomfortable neck injury that’s been troubling her since she missed the Chevron last April. Or Lilia Vu, a golfer who the day before yesterday was Number One in the world and who this week in Portland has broken a streak of six consecutive missed cuts. She is ranked 20th in the world.
– The tournament lead at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club belongs to Korean Jeongeun Lee5 (-12), not to be confused with the golfer of the same name ending in 6. The one leading in Portland has yet to win on the LPGA Tour, while the sixth has won a US Open. Lee5 has a one-shot lead over Grace Kim and Gurleen Kaur.
– In times where performances come and go with ease, one must tip their hat to Mrs Juli Inkster. At 65 years old, she played in Portland to prepare for the US Open Senior and missed the cut by just one stroke. Impressive.
– Also missing the cut were the two Spanish players present in the tournament. Carolina López Chacarra (PAR) delivered another par round and was two strokes short of that first objective, and Julia López (+2) even further away after also shooting a par round. The most striking thing in the round for the player from Málaga is that she made only one birdie this Friday.
