Tyler Ota capped the best year of an already decorated career by dropping “the longest 3-foot putt I ever had.”

When the knee-knocker for birdie fell on the first hole of a playoff Monday, Ota secured a return to Waialae Country Club in January for the Sony Open in Hawaii in what will amount to his graduation from amateur golf into life as a pro.

“Now the real grind begins to see how well I can play during that week,” Ot a said of preparing for his second Sony Open appearance in three years.

Ota, the now five-time Hawaii State Golf Association Player of the Year, and Maryknoll junior Peter Jung signed for rounds of 69 to lead Monday’s 12-player qualifier for the exemption into the Sony Open reserved for a local amateur.

When they returned to Waialae’s first hole for the playoff, Jung’s approach shot settled about 12 feet past the hole, while Ota’s chip hit the pin and stopped those 3 fateful feet away. After Jung’s birdie attempt slid to the right just before the cup, Ota rolled in his putt to secure his spot in the PGA Tour’s first full-field event of 2020.

“It was a bit lucky. I’m not sure how far away it would have been if it didn’t hit the pin,” Ota said. “I had good vibes though. I almost made eagle in the morning, so it was in the back of my head that I was making birdie.

“Peter’s a good putter, so I knew I had to make it no matter what, whether it be to win the playoff or extend it. I played him in Manoa Cup, and when his putter catches fire, he’s a tough guy to beat.”

Monday’s win capped a dazzling 2019 for the 26-year-old Moanalua graduate. He won his first five starts of the year, becoming the first player to win the Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship and the Manoa Cup — the state amateur match-play championship — in the same year.

But the Sony Open exemption held annually for a member of the Governor’s Cup amateur team — assembled through a year-long points race — remained on Ota’s checklist. After surviving Monday’s duel with Jung, Ota’s appearance at Waialae for the Jan. 9-12 event will mark his final start as an amateur.

“After Sony I’ll be turning pro. I’m kind of at that crossroads where I’m in my mid-20s, so it’s kind of now or never,” Ota said.

“I just want to see how far it can take me just grinding it out every day, and if it doesn’t work it at least I can say I did it.”

Ota will have about six weeks to sharpen his game for his second Sony Open and “hopefully I can make the cut this year and gauge where I can get better,” he said.

“There’s going to be pressure because it’s the Sony Open. There’s going to be jitters. But other than that I know I can shoot a good score out there, so I’ll approach it a little different. Couple years ago it was like I just want to see what I can do. Now I know what I can do, so I’ll try to execute that and do better.”

Ota carded rounds of 70 and 74 in his Sony debut in 2018 and finished a stroke behind Jung in last year’s qualifier. They met again in the Manoa Cup semifinals in June, with Ota needing 20 holes to advance after Jung, 17, won the final three holes of regulation to extend the match.

On Monday, Ota stayed relatively steady in a round with three birdies and an eagle countering two bogeys. Jung, playing in the group ahead of Ota’s, fashioned a far more colorful scorecard, with seven birdies and four bogeys. Both parred the 18th hole to finish regulation at 3 under.

“I played good, but too many mistakes,” Jung said of his bid to become the first player to earn the exemption in consecutive years. “I can always think back on it — 69 is a great score, can’t complain, but I could have gone deeper. But maybe next year.”

Jung said he plans to take a shot at the Sony Open’s Monday qualifier on Jan. 6.

“It’s going to be real tough, but I’ll try,” he said.