Hawaii’s Ayaka Kaneko and Stephanie Kono knew qualifying for the LPGA tour would be memorable. Neither knew exactly how memorable last week’s Final Qualifying Tournament would turn out to be.

Kaneko, 21, was tied for 78th before playing the final two rounds in 6 under par to tie for 15th. That was comfortably inside the top 20 who received full playing privileges for 2012.

“I was really focused, motivated, and determined,” said Kaneko, now home preparing to play in the Turtle Bay Hawaii State Open. “I knew exactly what I had to do to make it to top 20. I just trusted my ability and never gave up.”

The Sacred Hearts graduate was second in the 2007 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. She has been playing the LPGA Futures Tour the past two years. Kaneko earned nonexempt LPGA status in her second try at Q-School last year.

Kono’s week was even more dramatic. It took on a controversial life of its own, through no fault of hers.

The three-time UCLA All-American’s original plan was to try and get through the LPGA’s second-stage qualifying to guarantee a place on the Futures Tour and finish her career with the Bruins in May.

But an LPGA representative mistakenly told her that because the Futures and LPGA Q-Schools merged this year, she would have to participate in the final stage to get any playing status.

Carrie Forsyth, Kono’s coach at UCLA, was surprised to hear about Kono’s predicament and checked with the LPGA — twice. She got the same answer.

Kono knew if she qualified at the final stage, she might have to make a choice between playing on the tour and her senior season.

That presented a dilemma. Kono, a two-time All-Pac-10 academic honoree, will be six classes short of graduating after today’s last final. The Bruins will defend their NCAA title in the spring and Kono had a shot at becoming the school’s first four-time golf All-American. And, she loves Westwood.

Her dilemma then grew more complicated. Kono was 6 under and in second place Thursday when the LPGA admitted it had made a mistake.

The LPGA apologized to Kono, but told her she could not “defer membership” if she qualified Sunday.

“We can’t say anything but ‘we’re sorry,’ “ LPGA director of media communications Mike Scanlan said Wednesday. “It was not a great situation for either one of us, but what I can say is that dealing with Stephanie … she could not have been more gracious, flexible and understanding.”

The LPGA gave the Punahou alumna the option of walking away Thursday. After some discussion with father, Teruo, and some others, she ultimately said no. Kono easily qualified, finishing a bittersweet ninth.

“It was a pretty bad mistake by the LPGA, but at this point there’s nothing anyone can do to fix it,” said Kono, who won four collegiate tournaments and played on the Curtis Cup team. “There’s not something to fix. I would have considered deferring my card if that was an option. A lot of people would have supported me, but it’s really hard to try and get running in June when everyone else starts in February. You need to give yourself time to get adjusted to the LPGA and I want to start that as soon as possible, not start at midseason of my rookie year.

“It’s unfortunate. Obviously, I’m really happy I got my card. I knew this could happen before I came (to Q-School). I’m just surprised about all that went on and that I got bad information. It’s disappointing I had to cut short my college career. But I believe everything happens for a reason. And I’m not saying I’m not excited to start my LPGA career.”

Kono, 22, calls earning her LPGA card a dream come true. Mother Lori still has a book Stephanie wrote “when I was really little” about how to become a professional golfer. “I was so young the ‘S’s’ are written backward,” Stephanie recalled. “It talked about having fun, enjoy what you’re doing, be good at putting. …I’vealways wanted this.”

Now she has it and lots of people are expecting good things for Kono and Kaneko. Both Hawaii players speak Japanese with their parents. It is an ideal complement to their golf games on the self-proclaimed world’s most diverse golf tour. Kaneko’s father, Katsumi, played second base for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan.

Notes

Friends are planning “An Evening with Stephanie Kono,” Dec. 28 at Pearl Country Club. It will “celebrate both her numerous accomplishments as one of Hawaii’s best female amateur golfers and her transition to becoming a professional on the 2012 LPGA Tour.” The intent is to raise funds for her rookie year on tour.

It will run from 5:30-9 p.m., with no-host cocktails and entertainment by Ben Vegas & Company. It is limited to the first 200. For more information, contact Elton Tanakaat 808-227-4590 or etlbb@hotmail.com.