Japan's Riko Nagata makes long trip worthwhile with Jennie K. win

May 22—Riko Nagata hadn't traveled outside of Japan prior to entering the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational.

Riko Nagata hadn't traveled outside of Japan prior to entering the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational.

She'll return home today as the champion of one of Hawaii's most prestigious women's golf tournaments.

Nagata, a 20-year-old from Hyogo Perfecture, entered Sunday's final round at Mid-Pacific Country Club tied for the lead and pulled away to an 11-shot victory by remaining steady amid the Lanikai breeze.

A birdie on the first hole of the morning helped the 20-year-old calm her nerves and she put together a round of 2-under-par 70 to finish with a three-day total of 4-under 212 and claim the 72nd Jennie K. title.

She had two hiccups in her round, a bogey on the fifth hole and an errant drive on the 15th that led to a double bogey. But she responded with a birdie on the sixth and made up for the double with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17. A lag putt on the 18th green set up a tap-in par to close out the win.

Through an interpreter, Nagata said she hadn't been putting well back in Japan, but "tried to create the image of good putting and (I ) got that image here (in Hawaii ). That's the reason (I ) won the tournament."

Players from Japan have thrived in the tournament over the past decade, claiming six victories since 2013, including Natsumi Nakanishi's back-to-back titles in 2016 and'17 and Hanaka Shiozumi's victory last year.

Nagata heard about the Jennie K. from a college friend who had played in the event and entered the tournament, which dates back to 1950, for her first overseas trip.

After a few days of vacation prior to the tournament, Nagata shot par or better in all three rounds and finished as the lone player in red numbers.

Natalie Yen of Oregon shot rounds of 71 in the first two days to enter Sunday's round tied with Nagata at 2 under. Yen dropped back in a rocky start and Nagata made the turn with a six-shot lead.

Accustomed to firing into narrow fairways on hilly courses in Japan, Nagata proved comfortable on MPCC's relatively flat and roomy layout. She was well in command when her drive off the 15th tee drifted out of bounds and into the brush to the right. After a second drive, she played the hole in tidy fashion and followed with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th hole. Her drive on No. 17 settled just short of the green, and after a chip she drained a 17-foot putt for her final birdie of the day.

Also claiming division titles in the tournament were Young Hwa Kim (A Flight ), Kyong Omura (B Flight ), Ranko Asari (C Flight ), Miso Eunna Choi (D Flight ) and Biac Frame (E Flight ).