Stephanie Kono left her final birdie putt just a few inches short.

It was one of the few shortcomings she had in the final day of the Lotte Championship. Kono shot 7-under 65 on Saturday to finish the tournament tied for 33rd at 4-under 284. The Punahou graduate carded Saturday’s second-lowest round. Lotte is Kono’s best LPGA Tour performance and she earned $11,465, the biggest payout of her LPGA career.

“I felt really comfortable and I just wanted to birdie every hole coming in,” said the former UCLA All-American. “I finally parred 18. I almost birdied it. It was a good feeling.”

Kono had seven birdies and turned in her only bogey-free round of the tournament by capitalizing on her putting game. She converted on putts she left short Friday, when she carded a 76. Kono had just one birdie and five bogeys in that third round.

“It was a lot of fun,” Kono said. “I hit a lot of good shots and obviously I got the putter rolling. It was just so much fun to play my last round here in Hawaii this year and make some putts.”

Kono, the only local golfer to make the cut, had three birdies on the front nine and was even par for the tournament at the turn. She reached 3 under after three straight birdies on holes 12 to 14.

“Today I just stayed patient,” Kono said. “Seemed like I saw the line really well and I just felt so confident over every putt.”

She birdied 17 and had a chance to do the same on 18. But her 30-foot putt stopped just short of the hole.

“It would’ve been nice, but I don’t want to get greedy,” Kono said. “I bogeyed 18 the past few days, so just to make par was good.”

Kono, Ai Miyazato of Japan and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez all shot Saturday’s second-lowest score, one shot behind Minjee Lee. The lowest Kono ever shot was 64.

“Obviously given that it’s the Lotte and the last day, probably one of my best rounds ever,” Kono said.

After her round, Kono spent about 10 minutes signing autographs and taking photos with fans. The crowd of supporters has grown throughout the tournament.

“It feels great,” Kono said. “I love being home. I love representing Hawaii. I’m so proud.”

Lotte was only Kono’s third LPGA event of the year and the second where she’s made the cut. She earned $2,540 after tying for 75th at the Australian Open in February. Her Lotte earnings should help her in the upcoming LPGA priority list reshuffle.

Moving up the list will allow her to get into more tour events. Until then, she has to wait for unfilled spots in tournaments or qualify through qualifiers. She got into February’s COATES Golf Championship via Monday qualifying.

It’ll be a quick turnaround if she decides to enter the Monday qualifier at this week’s Swinging Skirts Classic outside of San Francisco. Her Lotte performance gives her more confidence heading into the rest of the season.

“I mean, I never felt more comfortable, more confident out there,” Kono said. “I just want to remember that feeling and keep moving forward.”