Allisen Corpuz's golf career is blossoming so quickly even redemption comes at warp speed.

Three months ago, while still a mere fifth-grader, Corpuz led the Jennie K. Invitational — the first Hawai'i women's major of the year — for 50 holes before getting chased down by three-time champion Kristina Merkle.

Yesterday, the 11-year-old won the final women's golf major of the year, becoming the youngest Hawai'i State Women's Match Play champion. Corpuz stopped Kacie Komoto's wondrous summer run with a 2-and-1 victory at Oahu Country Club.

Komoto, 14, won the State Stroke Play Championship earlier this month. The "old lady" of the final was playing on her home course, against her KMR School of Golf teammate, and she was playing brilliantly.

"We told each other that we'd be friends before and after," Corpuz said. "And just try our best out there."

Even Komoto's recent rise wasn't enough to get by the precocious Corpuz, who became the third 11-year-old to win the title in the past nine years. Stephanie Kono captured it in 2001 and her "youngest-ever" record was broken by Cyd Okino four years later. Corpuz, whose birthday was in March, is four months younger than Okino — who won her second match play last year.

Corpuz never trailed, winning the first and third holes with birdie. Komoto got one back with birdie at No. 9 and finally caught Corpuz on the 13th.

"I was like, 'OK, I can win this now because I'm in it," Komoto said. "We're tied."

Only Corpuz has learned how to close since Jennie K. "I thought, I gotta start making putts again," she said.

The tie didn't last two holes. Komoto hooked her 4-wood on the par-4 15th through the trees and onto the 18th fairway. She had no shot to the green, so she chipped short, then on and missed her 15-footer for par while Corpuz had yet another two-putt par.

Both missed the green and bogeyed the next hole, which led Corpuz to her new favorite hole. She sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 17th to clinch it, the third consecutive match she won with birdie on the 17th.

"I knew if I made it I would win," Corpuz said simply. "I read it and tried my best to make it."

A week ago, she won her third U.S. Kids Golf Championship in four years by birdieing the final hole to force a playoff, then birdieing the fourth extra hole to win.

Corpuz's and Komoto's performance on the 12th was a microcosm of their sophisticated games: Corpuz hit her blind approach uphill 10 feet past the hole and it spun back to a few inches; Komoto followed with an approach that nearly went in on a bounce and stopped two feet from the pin.

After a frustrating Jennie K., Komoto has made herself into one of the premier young guns in the state this summer, with an impressive run to the Stroke Play title and another that was just short this week.

"I got a new putter and that I'm happy about," Komoto said, looking for answers. "My short putts have been a lot better with this putter. And my coach fixed my swing. I've been going pretty good ever since."

Corpuz's drives are long and almost always on a line, her short game has great touch and her putting is fearless, and fearsome.

Asked if yesterday's win made up for Jennie K., she just giggled. "Maybe a little bit," Corpuz said.

NOTES

Bev Kim shot 83 Wednesday at Pearl Country Club to earn Hawai'i's slot in the U.S. Senior Women's Championship. The national tournament will be at Homestead, in Hot Springs, Va., Sept. 12 to 17. Chaok Merkle is first alternate after shooting 84.