Led by the winners of six of Hawaii’s past seven major women’s golf tournaments, college players have taken over the State Women’s Stroke Play Championship.

Two-time defending champion Nicole Sakamoto shot 4-under-par 68 at windy Mid-Pacific Country Club on Wednesday to catch first-round leader Cassy Isagawa (73). At 143, they take a five-stroke advantage into today’s final round.

Sakamoto, out of Kalani, just graduated from James Madison and is in the process of turning pro. She won the state match and stroke play titles the past two years and the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational in May.

Isagawa, a Baldwin graduate, won this year’s match play title two weeks ago, in her first appearance. The 2010 state high school champion finished her freshman year at Oregon ranked ninth in the country.

Rose Huang is the only high school golfer in the top seven. The ‘Iolani sophomore was state high school runner-up in May and shot 72 — five shots better than Tuesday.

She is a shot behind Washington sophomore Cyd Okino (75—148) and Notre Dame sophomore Kelli Oride (72—148). Huang shares fifth with Margaret Min (78), about to begin at Brown, and Hawaii senior Kaili Britos (74).

They have many shots to make up considering the golfers they are chasing.

Sakamoto tied the scoring record in this tournament last year and left college with JMU’s scoring record. She was all but flawless Wednesday with five birdies and bogey.

“Yesterday, I really didn’t take advantage of my birdie putts,” Sakamoto said. “My putting was off and on. Today, I took advantage.”

She is working at Olomana Golf Links now, contemplating a shot at the LPGA Tour next year and fine-tuning her game.

“Maybe I’ll turn pro and try to qualify for the LPGA tournament at Ko Olina,” Sakamoto said. “Then maybe play Pearl Open. Those are the only tournaments I can play in pretty much. Hopefully by next summer I’ll be on the way to the LPGA qualifier.”

She and Isagawa, who go out together this morning at about 10, last played together 10 years ago on Maui. They golfed then with former Maui resident Kyung Kim — this year’s Women’s Amateur Public Links champion — and Okino, just for fun. Isagawa remembers only that “Nicole and Cyd were so tall.”

Their careers have shot up since. Sakamoto blossomed in college, after she was frustrated by a string of top-five finishes locally without a victory.

Isagawa followed up her high school championship by winning the Junior PGA, playing on the victorious the Junior Ryder Cup team and earning medalist honors at Girls Junior America’s Cup. Hawaii won that 2010 Cup, and also won last week on Maui, where Isagawa was volunteering.

She has most of her college career ahead of her, and her once-a-decade golf date with Sakamoto today. Isagawa had three bogeys and two birdies Wednesday, needing 36 putts.

“Yesterday (Tuesday) I was getting really lucky,” Isagawa said. “I actually hit a few too hard and they went in. Today, putts just weren’t falling. I was in the wrong spots at the wrong time.”