Kono won the State Stroke Play Championship by a dozen shots.

By closing with a 1-over-par 73 at Mid-Pacific Country Club, Kono finished at 4-under 212. That's five better than the tournament's 54-hole record.

The tournament started in 1962. This was the 30th year of a three-day format. Even when it lasted only two days no one broke par — not Hall of Famers Edna Jackola, Joan Damon and Bev Kim, and not LPGA players Marlene Floyd and Cindy Rarick.

"Maybe she's too young to know what she's doing," Kim suggested, then smiled.

One glance at Kono's purposeful walk, compact swing, fearless putting and composed game suggests something else entirely. She is 5-feet-4 and 125 pounds of "scary-long" drives that belie her small size and scarier precision.

"I think she knows exactly what she's doing," said Desiree Ting, who tied for second with Mari Chun and defending champion Rachel Kyono. Kyono has finished in the top three all five years she's played this tournament, with two victories.

Clearly, Kono has a vision as she enters eighth grade.

Wie might have eight inches, 50 pounds, one national title and a Top 10 major finish on her, but the "Mini-Wie" has the slam. The real Wie is a State Match Play Championship short.

Kono offered a peek at her gifts when she won the 2001 match play title at age 11. Since then she has grown four inches, gained 25 pounds of muscle and about 30 yards off the tee, highlighted her hair and allowed herself an attitude.

She is still demure, but obviously driven — and suddenly putting like crazy.

"I putted much better than I have at any other tournament," said Kono, whose golf dream is to hit every fairway, every green and always be putting for birdie. "Before, I didn't putt too well on the short ones. Now, somehow, I've got a lot of confidence on the short putts. I just trust the line and make a good stroke on it and it goes in."

Kono won the Jennie K. Invitational in May at Mid-Pac with a 224. That score was good for a three-way tie for second yesterday, but not nearly good enough to beat Kono, who went into the final round up 10. A score of 224 would have won all but four of the 54-hole stroke-play titles from 1962 to '97.

"Girls golf in general, and especially in Hawai'i ... the standard is really elevated," said Kevin Ralbovsky, Kono's caddy and coach. "You've got girls really working hard. Of course, Michelle is leading the way, but Mari Chun, Amanda Wilson and Stephanie are right there, too.

"Junior golf has a status now where kids are taking it much more seriously than before. That's why you're seeing these really outstanding results."

Kono was so dominant this week that she could have taken 17 on the last hole and still won. She came as close as her meticulous game allows, driving into the trees, punching into a bunker and three-putting for a double-bogey 6.

It was an absolute aberration. In three days, she hit all but seven greens in regulation. When her drives didn't find the fairway, opponents called it a "blip." When she missed a putt Wednesday, while shooting a brilliant 5-under 67, it was a surprise.

"She's so strong, solid and focused all the time," said Chun, a Kamehameha Schools junior who was a finalist in match play this year. "She just kept it going, no matter what."