WESTFIELD CENTER, Ohio — Try as she might, Kimberly Kim couldn't hold off Alexis Thompson and her date with history.

Kim, a 15-year-old former Big Island resident, shot a final-round 1-under-par 70 yesterday to finish second at the 32nd Westfield Junior PGA Championship at the Westfield Group Country Club.

Thompson, a 12-year-old from Coral Springs, Fla., closed with a 69 to beat Kim by one stroke and become the youngest champion in the history of the tournament. Thompson, who started the day tied with Kim, finished with a 72-hole total of 1-under 283.

"I am absolutely thrilled to win this tournament," said Thompson, who had five birdies — four during a five-hole stretch on the back nine — and three bogeys. "I have been knocking it close for a long time now and making the putts in the final two rounds is what I have been waiting for all week."

Kristina Merkle, a Moanalua High junior-to-be, shot 74—300 to finish in a tie for 21st.

In the boys division, Chris DeForest of Cottekill, N.Y., closed with a 74 for a 10-under-par 274 total and a six-stroke margin over runner-up Mark Johnson of Tulsa, Okla. Arizona's Chan Kim, a former Hawai'i prep champion from Kaimuki High, shot 79—292 to finish in a tie for 24th.

Kim, who had three birdies and two bogeys, played steadily all week and was pleased with her performance.

"Alexis really earned a lot of respect from the girls out here," Kim said. "I feel really good about my game even though I was not able to win this week. I am looking forward to possibly competing next year on the Junior Ryder Cup team and representing the United States."

Kim, who birdied Nos. 1, 3 and 10, led Thompson by three strokes after 11 holes. That's when Thompson kicked it into gear. She birdied Nos. 12, 13 and 15 to pull even, setting up the key hole of the day.

On the 16th, Kim made bogey while Thompson sank a birdie putt to take a two-shot lead. Thompson bogeyed the final two holes, while Kim finished bogey-par to finish a stroke behind.

www.pga.com contributed to this report.