Natsumi Nakanishi started her final round of the Jennie K. Wilson Women’s Invitational by bowing to the pristine Mid-Pacific Country Club course, a customary show of respect by the Japan native.

The 17-year-old would also get an opportunity to enjoy a victorious bow to the crowd in Lanikai on Sunday afternoon after she claimed the prestigious amateur championship by one stroke over University of Hawaii sophomore Kaci Masuda of Pearl City.

Nakanishi shot a 6-over 78 in the final round to total a 2-under 214 in the three-day event. She bogeyed six times without the help of a birdie to hold off Masuda, who finished one back at 1-under 215. Claire Choi (6-over 222) and Momoka Kayano (225) were far off the pace to finish third and fourth, respectively.

“I tried not to think about the six-stroke difference (to start her final round), especially as it went down to five, four, three … it was hard to concentrate because it’s not that easy under pressure,” said a relieved Nakanishi through an interpreter after posting her personal tournament-best cumulative score. “It was a really nice opportunity for me to play in this tournament, it’s very special. Hawaii is so beautiful, and I’m honored to play on this course.”

As the golfers teed off shortly after 9 a.m., Nakanishi held a six-stroke lead over Masuda, and appeared poised to run away with the tourney, which was first played in 1950. However, Masuda cut the deficit to one through 12 holes after notching a birdie during that span that came on a clutch 8-foot putt on the par-3 No. 6; Nakanishi posted four bogeys over the same stretch.

Masuda appeared poised to tie or potentially overtake Nakanishi, but her momentum cooled a bit on the par-4 15th after the Rainbow Wahine golfer hit her drive way left along the tree line and landed a foot away from a large tree trunk. After chipping back into the fairway for a better uphill approach, she ended up with a bogey to match Nakanishi.

Masuda then saw her 10-foot birdie putt lip out on the par-5 16th hole, could not convert a long birdie chance on No. 17 and left her attempt at par on the final hole just short and to the right as Nakanishi held on for the title.

To Nakanishi’s credit, she scrambled under pressure, including on No. 18, where she landed in the deep rough to the left on her drive. But she punched her second shot to the right edge of the green to keep the pressure on Masuda late before eventually two-putting to secure the win with a bogey.

“I was trying to take advantage of every opportunity I had, and I was happy with the way I played except over the last few holes,” said Masuda, who credited UH men’s golfer Smart Kittirattanapaiboon for helping as her caddie. “I’m pretty happy with what I did. It came down to nerves, but I tried to stay confident; I could see that (Nakanishi) was nervous, too, so that calmed me down.

“But I hung in there as long as I could. I wanted to represent Hawaii well, especially with our new (UH head coach Stephen Bidne) getting to know us. I really wanted to show him that I can play, and let local golfers know that it’s OK to stay home to play collegiate golf.”

On her way to finishing fourth, Kayano — who traveled to Hawaii with Nakanishi — enjoyed a memorable moment on the par-3 11th by sinking her high, hanging shot from 160 yards out for a hole-in-one. By doing so on that particular hole, Kayano won a 2017 Honda CRV, and the leaders putting on the 10th hole had to take a brief break until the noise from the next tee box subsided.

Nakanishi said that she will pursue an opportunity in the Japanese professional ranks “as soon as next year, and hopefully I can win titles all around the world.”

Jennie K Wilson Invitational

At Mid-Pacific Country Club

Sunday

Final Round

Championship Flight

Natsumi Nakanishi 65-71-78—214

Kaci Masuda 70-72-73—215

Claire Choi 74-73-75—222

Momoka Kayano 75-72-78—225

Aiko Leong 74-78-75—227

Naomi Wong 71-73-83—227

Malia Nam 76-83-70—229

Kamie Hamada 76-76-78—230

Miki Manta 78-77-76—231

Jae Eun Park 77-77-77—231

Kaylee Akagi 78-75-79—232

Jeannie Pak 77-72-83—232

Isabelle Won 78-76-80—234

Patty Schremmer 76-84-75—235

Kyung Eun Lee 78-80-77—235

Karissa Kilby 79-79-77—235

Alanis Sakuma 77-82-79—238

Kyra Tomita 82-80-77—239

Lacey Uchida 77-79-83—239

Charlee Kapiioho 83-78-79—240