Honolulu's Stephanie Kono closed with a 5-over-par 78 and cruised to the championship of the Harder Junior German Masters yesterday in Heddesheim.

Kono, about to start her sophomore year at Punahou, won the elite international event by four shots. She was the only American girl in the field and finished at even par 219.

Denmark's Maj Schodt (73) and Germany's Andrea Wittek (76) tied for second at 223.

There were only five sub-par rounds shot in the tournament and Kono had two, opening with a 70 and 71. She had just three bogeys those first two days, but struggled with six yesterday, along with a double bogey. She birdied three holes.

Kono, 15, received a Junior Masters invitation, and all-expenses-paid trip, after winning the Westfield Junior PGA Championship. She was also the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion this year.

Kono has won all three Hawai'i women's majors. She captured the State Match Play at age 11 and won the Jennie K. and State Stroke Play in 2003. She also won last year's Stroke Play title, but travel to Germany prevented her from going after a third consecutive championship last week.