Former Big Island resident Kimberly Kim shot a bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 yesterday to capture the Thunderbird International Junior by eight shots at Scottsdale, Ariz.

The tournament is for 14- to 18-year-olds and annually attracts the top junior golfers in the world. Golfers from 16 countries, including 18 states, participated in the tournament.

Kim's three-round total of 10-under 206 on the 6,271-yard Grayhawk Golf Club Raptor Course easily beat out runner-up Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., who shot 2-under 70 yesterday for a 214 total. Kim was the only golfer in the 36-player girls field to shoot in the 60s yesterday.

"I'm not the most confident person in the world, so to win shows me that the last year of hard work is paying off," said Kim, who now lives in Arizona. "By the back nine I was tired enough to be in my own world and not worry about whether or not I was winning the event."

Honolulu's Ayaka Kaneko, a Sacred Hearts Academy student who shared second at 2-under after the first round, shot a 73 yesterday and finished tied for eighth at 4-over 220.

Stephanie Kono, a Punahou School student, shot a 77 for the second day in a row and finished tied for 28th with a 14-over 230 total.

Kim birdied Nos. 4 (par 5) and 9 (par 4) to make the turn at 2-under 34. She also birdied both back-nine par-5s (Nos. 11 and 18) while also recording a birdie on the par-4 11th.

Kaneko's round would have been better if it weren't for the par-5s, where she bogeyed all four. She also three birdies.

Kono had two birdies and seven bogeys in her round.

Arnond Vongvanij, of Bradenton, Fla., shot a 3-over-par 75 but still won by two shots in the 42-player boys field. His total was 8-under 208.

American Junior Golf Association provided information.