Home to chase a dream, Xyra Suyetsugu went low in high afternoon winds Monday to capture a coveted slot in this year’s U.S. Women’s Open.

The Roosevelt and University of Hawaii graduate carved a 3-under-par 69 through the big breeze at Waialae Country Club in the afternoon round after shooting a 76 in the first round. She passed University of Oregon junior Cassy Isagawa (72-74), the only player to shoot par in the morning round, and playing partner Mariel Galdiano (76-70) to win the U.S. Golf Association Sectional by a shot. ‘Iolani junior Rose Huang (73-74) was fourth.

It is a dream come true for Suyetsugu, which is what this sectional and the U.S. Golf Association’s qualifying process are all about. This year, a record 1,702 women from 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 52 foreign countries entered the Open.

Suyetsugu won one of 24 sectionals being played around the country and, for the first time, at sites in China, England, Japan and Korea.

The Open is June 19-22 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s Course No. 2, in North Carolina — a week after the U.S. Open is played on the same classic course.

"I am so excited. It’s going to be awesome," Suyetsugu said. "I came here for a little vacation. I didn’t go surfing yet, I didn’t go hiking, party with my friends. I was into golf. It was business."

Suyetsugu turned pro in 2009 after getting her degree at UH. She has been living in Arizona the past four years and working at Eagle Mountain Golf Club, just outside Scottsdale, while playing part-time on the LPGA’s Symetra Tour. She came home because she simply missed Hawaii and timed her arrival to coincide with the sectional. "I love the beach and I am just landlocked," she grinned.

She was 4 under on her final 12 holes at Waialae. Her birdie on the 17th proved decisive, but her shank on the 18th in the morning round might have had more impact.

"I don’t know what happened, but I pushed my drive right into the out-of-bounds area," said Suyetsugu, who won the 2007 Hawaii State Stroke Play and 2008 Jennie K. Invitational during an all-conference Rainbow Wahine career. "It was kind of upsetting, but I went back to the range and figured it out."

Galdiano, at the tender age of 15, has already been to two U.S. Women’s Opens and just won her second state high school championship. She shot 70 in the afternoon to come up one short at 2-over 146.

Isagawa won the 2010 state championship her junior year at Baldwin. She finished her college golf season at NCAA Regionals on Saturday, and now holds the Ducks’ three best season scoring averages.

Isagawa flew home Sunday and flew back to school Monday night, hours after falling to Galdiano in a playoff for first alternate and low amateur. But first, she got caught in Oahu’s morning rush hour and nearly missed her tee time.

"Maybe I should play like that more often — hurry up and get to the tee," Isagawa said. "I had time to hit a few putts."

She buried five birdie putts and chipped in for eagle in an erratic opening-round 72. Her afternoon was more serene, but a shot short.

"I feel like I played great," Isagawa said. "I didn’t play well at regionals, so shooting 72-74 here really boosted my confidence after last week. I’m really glad I had my dad on my bag to keep everything together.

"Every shot, every putt I hit, I wouldn’t change anything because I know that was the best I can do."

Washington junior Cyd Okino also flew back for the sectional, which drew 27 golfers from Hawaii, California, Japan and the Philippines.

Suyetsugu beat all the dream chasers, after opening with a 76.

"I thought there’s nothing I can do but just go out and do my best," Suyetsugu said of her afternoon charge. "I was 4 over and I had a lot of work to get back into it. I just started striping the ball well. I don’t know what happened. After the first couple holes, I was giving myself birdie opportunities and I was putting decently, so I dropped a few of them and it worked out."