'EWA BEACH — Christian Akau shook loose from the lead group then was nearly blindsided by Craig Watanabe, closing quickly in the rear view mirror, before holding on to win yesterday's 'Ewa Beach Championship by a stroke. The fourth Amatour Hawai'i event of the year was also the first of two majors.

'Ewa Beach Golf Club played the major part, giving up just one sub-par round in two days. That came yesterday from the still-stunned Watanabe who, by the looks of his score, was playing another course, or at least putting on different greens.

The 26-year-old, two years into a comeback after a five-year golf hiatus, blitzed 'Ewa Beach for a 4-under-par 68 — 11 better than Saturday. His number was remarkable for a few reasons, most notably that he had but 20 putts. Watanabe chipped in on the first and eighth holes, played the front nine in 1-under, then sank a swarm of 5- and 6-footers to shoot 33 on the back.

"I wasn't hitting the ball all that well today either. Then when I got to the back nine everything started to click," said Watanabe, who works for his family's business (EMSS). "It was unbelievable. ... I was just burying them. It was weird ... just crazy. First time ever like this."

His 68 was four better than any Amatour member shot all weekend and jerked him from the middle of the wind-blown pack into serious contention.

Fortunately for Akau, he knew nothing about it.

"I have a problem when I worry about how other people are doing. It screws me up," he said with a shrug and a smile, after signing for a 72 that gave him his first victory since the 2004 U.S. Army-Hawai'i Invitational. "I just have to worry about my own game and play the course. I was lucky to win. I missed a lot of crucial putts."

It might have been golf retribution, for a playoff loss at the last Amatour event, when he was outlasted by reigning Amatour Player of the Year Craig Uyehara at Coral Creek. It appeared a massive playoff might be necessary yesterday, when seven players made the turn within two shots of the lead.

That included everyone in the lead group. Bryan Edwards, 39, who basically lives in the Amatour top 10, was one ahead of Akau, Neal Takara and first-round leader Reyn Tanaka — the defending champion — at that point. Shannon Tanoue, Paul Kimura and Jarrett Young were two back.

Akau, who graduated from Idaho with a degree in business marketing in December, seized the advantage with birdies at Nos. 10, 13 and 14. He held on despite a balky putter and bogeys on the 15th and 16th, then benefited from the two that got away from Watanabe: A missed 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th, and another miss from 6 feet for par on the final hole.

Akau pointed to his birdie on the par-5 10th as the "spark" he rode to the title. He took double bogey there Saturday — in gusts just as strong as yesterday. After pushing his drive over by the water and a bush, he hit a low fade to lay up and punched in a 9-iron under the wind to the back of the green. He sank the 10-foot birdie putt.

Akau, 23, now goes back to work at Luana Hills, where he is figuring out "what I want do with the rest of my life —play golf or get a business job."

Every Amatour player has a story, but all share a passion for amateur golf, which is why this tour started six years ago. Akau won $550 in merchandise certificates yesterday, and Watanabe $300. The top 25 players get prize "money."

And, in an event run as close as possible to professional and top amateur tournaments here and on the Mainland, they also get that feeling described as "priceless" in the credit card commercials.

"This is like playing golf with a huge group of friends," Akau said. "Having a good time on the weekend."

The last of seven Amatour events this year is the Amatour Tour Championship, Nov. 3 and 4 at Kapolei. That major, and this weekend's, are worth double points toward Player of the Year honors and 2008 qualifying.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.