Tadd

Fujikawa

Fujikawa was given the last sponsor exemption in the field of 144. He gained entry when Brian Davis withdrew. The 21-year-old Hawaiian native missed the playoff at Monday’s four-spotter by one stroke. He’s been honing his craft on the eGolf Professional Tour.

Fujikawa buried four birdies against one bogey today. He was gunning for his second start on the PGA TOUR this year (T19, Sony Open). Other notables that failed to qualify for The McGladrey Classic are as follows: 68--Eric Axley ... 69--Marc Turnesa; Grant Waite; Mathias Gronberg ... 70--Frank Lickliter II; Robert Gamez ... 71--Gene Sauers ... 72--Brian Bateman ... 73--Craig Kanada.

The native Hawaiian who turns 22 on Tuesday opened with bogeys on three of his first eight holes at the Arnold Palmer Course at Turtle Bay in Kahuku. He couldn’t recover, finishing three strokes too high to join a playoff for the final berth into the tournament at Waialae where he tied for 19th a year ago. Other notables that failed to qualify include: 71--Billy Mayfair; Tom Pernice, Jr.; John Riegger; Steve Allan ... 72--Ted Purdy; Patrick Cantlay ... 73--Tim Petrovic; Parker McLachlin; Stephen Gangluff ... 74--Scott Simpson ... 75--Troy Merritt; Tony Finau ... 76--Frank Lickliter II ... 77--Willie Wood ... 78--Chris Smith.

Fujikawa took advantage of local knowledge today as he traded five birdies with a lone blemish in regulation. From there he birdied the third playoff hole to secure his seat into the Sony. Fujikawa is no stranger to Waialae Country Club as he sports a 3-for-5 record here, including a T20 in his 2007 debut when he was just 16 years old. On the whole, the Hawaiian is 5-for-14 on the PGA TOUR with a pair of top 25s to his name. More recently, he spent last year on the Mackenzie Tour north of the border, missing the cut in seven of his eight starts. The 26-year-old is a long shot to contend this week, but he does have local knowledge on his side.

Now almost 25 years of age -- he’ll celebrate his birthday on Jan. 8 -- Fujikawa is long forgotten as a hopeful touring professional, but he’s still out there trying. Alas, this isn’t the first time that he’s failed at the four-spotter in his adopted backyard of Saint Simons Island, Georgia. Other notables who couldn’t get the job done today include: 69--Arjun Atwal; Len Mattiace; Bubba Dickerson ... 70--Michael Letzig; Andrew Svoboda ... 71--Nick Flanagan; Kevin Tway ... 72--Patrick Sheehan ... 73--Tag Ridings; Matt Davidson ... 74--Cliff Kresge; David Mathis ... 75--Josh Teater ... 79--David Branshaw.

Fujikawa shot 78-75-153 and missed in his effort by 10 shots. Toru Taniguchi of Japan (71-71-142), Kaname Yokoo of Japan (71-71-142 ), and Nobuhiro Masuda also of Japan (70-73-143 ) were the three golfers who qualified at the Ibaraki sectional. Fujikawa had to go to Japan this year in his attempt to qualify as the USGA did away with the Hawaii sectional. Controversy has surrounded this action and there seems to be some initiative to review the situation and to consider the possibility of reinstating the Hawaiian venue next year.

Fujikawa, a the popular and gregarious high school junior who recently turned pro, found himself +10 for the tournament at one point in Friday’s round, but he played the last 10 holes in five-under-par to finish a very respectable +5 for the event after his opening-round 78. He actually hit every fairway on Friday and by the end of the day was showing the form that enabled him to be the youngest golfer to qualify for a U.S. Open (2006) and the youngest golfer in 50 years to make a PGA-Tour cut (Sony, where he finished 20th). Fujikawa is also a winner series of a series of adult open events, including the Hawaii Pearl Open and certainly looks to be an up-and-comer on the fantasy golf scene.

Fujikawa added an even-par 71 to his first-round 70, but his 141 total missed the Boise Open cut by three strokes. He had high hopes following a hole-in-one on Thursday which helped him to a realistic chance to make the weekend. The 16-year-old Fujikawa will now head back to Moanalua High School in Honolulu, Hawaii to ponder his next event which will most likely depend on his chances of securing another sponsor exemption on one of the various tours.

Fujikawa, who seems to have an affinity for the T.V. camera, aced No. 17 at Hillcrest Country Club in his very first round of golf on the Nationwide Tour. Despite the heroics, he stands just T-78, already seven shots behind the lead. He added three birdies to his hole-in-one to offset two bogeys and a double. This is the second tournament in a row that the Moanalua High School junior has made a spectacular shot, having scored a double eagle on his last hole in the Omega European Masters earlier this month. Fujikawa will continue his quest at making the cut in his first professional tournament as play continues in Idaho on Friday.

Fujikawa became the youngest player in 50 years to make a cut of the PGA Tour at the Sony Open in January and he decided to turn profession soon after his win at the Pearl City Open. The Frys.com will be the fifth event he has entered as a professional and he is looking for more exemptions before the end of the year.