Rio Takeda dominates the Blue Bay LPGA in China with a final-round 64, clinching her second LPGA title and making a bold statement on the 2025 season.
🔥 A Star is Born in Hainan: Takeda’s Breakthrough
Japanese rookie Rio Takeda delivered a masterclass in final-round composure at the 2025 Blue Bay LPGA, shooting a sensational 8-under 64 to capture her second LPGA Tour title. The 21-year-old pulled away from the field on Sunday at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course in Hainan, China, winning by six shots in one of the most dominant performances of the season. With this victory, Takeda becomes the second Rolex First-Time Winner of 2025 and adds her name to the fast-growing list of rising stars transforming women’s golf.
🚨 Key Moments & Player Highlights
Coming into Sunday, Takeda trailed by a stroke—but she wasted no time making her move. A sizzling front-nine 31, punctuated by a birdie on the par-3 8th, flipped the leaderboard. Takeda never looked back, rolling in eight birdies and carding zero bogeys. Her final round 64 matched the lowest score of the tournament and brought her to a 17-under total of 271, leaving her closest challengers six strokes adrift. As noted by NBC Sports, “Takeda’s putter stayed hot all week,” culminating in a flawless Sunday performance. Sky Sports hailed it as a “blistering round that redefined dominance.”
💥 Contenders Who Tried to Close the Gap
Despite her commanding win, several top names pushed throughout the weekend:
- Lilia Vu, the world No. 2, charged late with a 68 to finish T2.
- Hyo Joo Kim, a former Blue Bay champion, stayed steady to join Vu in second.
- Atthaya Thitikul, after a promising start, cooled off over the weekend and settled for a T5 finish.
None, however, could keep up with Takeda’s relentless precision. Golf Monthly called her final round “one of the most complete performances seen all year.”
🌍 A Shift in the Golf Landscape
With this six-shot victory, Takeda’s rise is sending ripples through the women’s game. Her win strengthens Japan’s impact on the LPGA Tour, following the paths of Nasa Hataoka and Hinako Shibuno.
Her breakout also reinforces the LPGA’s increasingly global makeup—especially in Asia, where crowds in Hainan gave Takeda superstar treatment. Kyodo News reported record-breaking gallery attendance, many waving Japanese flags and chanting her name.
With two wins early in her rookie year, Takeda is now firmly in the hunt for LPGA Rookie of the Year and even Player of the Year.
🎉 Crowd Energy & Atmosphere
The energy at Jian Lake was electric, especially during Takeda’s back nine. Local fans lined the fairways, phones in hand, as she rolled in clutch birdie putts on 14 and 17. Social media exploded. The hashtag #TakedaTime trended globally as fans celebrated the young phenom’s meteoric rise. According to Golfweek, tournament organizers described the Sunday atmosphere as “unlike anything we’ve seen before at Blue Bay.”
🏆 GOAT Meter: Rio Takeda’s Rapid Rise
Progress toward all-time greatness status:
- ✅ Second LPGA title in her rookie season
- ✅ Recorded lowest round of the tournament (64)
- ✅ Now a two-time Rolex First-Time Winner
- ✅ Quickly climbing the Rolex Rankings
- 🕓 Projected to qualify for Olympic selection and major contention
🔥 Verdict: With two wins in 2025 and elite-level poise, Takeda is fast becoming Japan’s next global golf superstar — the GOAT arc is real.
🔮 What’s Next for Takeda?
With her second LPGA victory in three months, Takeda is proving she’s not just a flash in the pan—she’s a fixture on leaderboards.
According to LPGA.com, her next start will be at the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, where she’ll face an elite field. A third win could catapult her into Olympic contention and cement her status as one of the faces of the 2025 season.
