LANIKAI — Jaclyn Hilea is riding a summer golf wave of winter proportions.

Hilea helped Moanalua win the state high school championship with a top-10 finish before graduating. She followed up by winning the 15-18 age division at the Hawai'i State Junior Championships and the coed ESPN National Golf Challenge qualifier with 12-year-old Cyd Okino.

Today, she takes a five-shot lead into the final round of the HSWGA Stroke Play Championship at Mid-Pacific Country Club. Hawai'i Golf Hall of Famer Lance Suzuki is on her bag and in her ear, with eight Mid-Pacific Open titles to look back on if she gets in trouble.

"I tend to push the ball when I get nervous," says Hilea, who has worked with Suzuki for two years. "He helps me stay calm, gets me to relax."

She has hardly looked nervous. Hilea opened with a 3-under-par 69 Tuesday and shot 71 yesterday. Par today will tie Stephanie Kono's tournament record of 4-under 212, set in 2003.

Hilea's closest pursuer is Kayla Morinaga, whose first birdie came via a 20-foot putt on her final hole yesterday.

"Jaclyn hits it really far and she has a great short game," said Morinaga, about to embark on her sophomore season at Portland State. "I didn't hit very many solid shots, but it worked out. It took 18 holes, but I finally made a birdie."

Morinaga's 73 catapulted her ahead of Lesly Ann Komoda, who was only three back of Hilea when they made the turn yesterday. Then the reality of Komoda's five-year layoff from competitive golf hit with a vengeance.

Hilea, who leaves next month for the post-graduate program at the International Junior Golf Academy in Hilton Head, S.C., played the back nine in even-par. Komoda flailed to a 5-over 41 and is eight back.

"The brain goes in and out," said Komoda, 37, who is Mid-Pacific's merchandise buyer. "In a tournament, you've got to be a little bit more ... there.

"It's tough. I'm in a position where lots of other women were — Lynne Winn, Bev Kim, Keiki Dawn Izumi — when I was playing before," Kodama said. "I played with an 18-year-old that hits the ball 50 yards past me off the tee. The only thing I've got going is experience and that's not enough all the time."

Komoda won this tournament twice in the early '90s and also has State Match Play and Jennie K. championships to hold Hawai'i's career slam. This is her third tournament back since regaining her amateur status. Komoda was sixth at this year's Jennie K., and lost to Mari Chun in the State Match Play final.

"It's just fun to stand up on the tee box and think you have a shot at winning," she said. "Obviously my game isn't as sharp as it can be and it will take a lot of effort to get it back there. ... I'm the old fut now. Before it was drink a Coke and get out to the first tee. Now it's take 500 milligrams of Motrin."

Rainbow Wahine Xyra Suyetsugu (75) is a shot behind Komoda. Erin Matsuoka (74) and Kyung Kim (72) share fifth at 150. Kim, the youngest participant at 11, had the second-best round.

MANOA CUP

Former University of Hawai'i golfer Kellen-Floyd Asao and current UH golfer Pierre-Henri Soero were the highest seeds to advance to the match play round of 16 at the Manoa Cup at Oahu Country Club.

The second-seeded Asao, who won the tournament in 2003, defeated 2004 champion Ryan Perez, 4 and 3. Third-seeded Soero eliminated Spencer Shishido on the 19th hole.

Bill Henry, the 64th seed, continued his run with a victory over Troy Higashiyama, 4 and 3. Four-time Manoa Cup winner Brandan Kop defeated 1990 winner Richard Sieradzki, 5 and 4.

The third round is today.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.