Honolulu's Stephanie Kono, the last of nine Hawai'i golfers still playing in the 31st annual U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship, reached the quarterfinals with two victories yesterday at Kearney Hill Golf Links in Lexington, Ky.

Kono, 17, outlasted Mexico's Pamela Ontiveros, 2 up, in the round of 16 yesterday afternoon. Kono trailed just once, when Ontiveros birdied the par-3 eighth hole. The incoming Punahou senior won the next three holes with birdie to go 2 up.

Ontiveros squared the match — for the fourth time — with pars at Nos. 13 and 15. Kono rallied again, winning the 17th with par and clinching the win with birdie on the par-5 closing hole. She was 1-under for the round.

Earlier in the day, Kono won her second-round match by a 2-and-1 score over Felicia Espericueta of Texas. Kono upset top-seeded Tiffany Lua in the opening round Wednesday.

"I started playing well in the playoff for the last (match play) spot," Kono said. "I'm just trying to take it one match at a time. Actually, one hole at a time."

Hawai'i had nine players qualify for the tournament, with seven advancing to match play and three getting through the first round. Pearl City's Mari Chun and ex- Hilo resident Kimberly Kim fell in the second round yesterday.

Kono plays eighth-seeded Mina Harigae, from Monterey, Calif., in today's quarterfinal. Harigae is second in Golfweek's junior girls rankings, while Kono is sixth. Both graduate in 2008.

Tonya Choate of Mt. Vernon, Mo., defeated second-seeded Kim, who now lives in Arizona, 3 and 2. Choate later defeated defending champion Tiffany Joh, 4 and 3, to reach the quarterfinals.

Ryann O'Toole, of San Clemente, Calif. ousted Chun with a birdie on the 20th hole.

Information from www.uswapl.org was used in this report.