Archive for the 'Sony Open' Category

The past weekend at the Sony Open wasn’t about Vijay Singh or defending champ David Toms. It wasn’t about Michelle Wie making the cut, but it was about a teenager making the cut. The youngest teenager in the last 50 years to make the cut in a PGA tour event that is. Hawaii’s own Tadd Fujikawa that is.

Once Tadd made the cut on Friday and then followed that up with a stellar 66 on Saturday, the world was watching Tadd Fujikawa. He was in contention just 6 strokes back of the lead.

But it wasn’t his magnificent drives or the fact that he was making them using his small 5′1″ frame. No it was his excitement for the game, his love of the game. The golf channel showed a clip of him late into the night practicing his putting Saturday night, getting ready for the next day, where he was to be paired up with Jim Furyk, the worlds number 2 player.

Tadd Fujikawa wasn’t talking like the world owed him something. He wasn’t speaking as though he was better and deserved to be in the top ten (even though his play was great and definitely warranted it) he was just happy to be there. He was all smiles as he played, and had to tip his hat often to the crowd.

I was able to make it over to the Waialae Country Club on Sunday for the final round and quickly figured out where Tadd was playing. Some of the best players in the world were on the course that day but you couldn’t have guessed where they were. The leaders had about 50 people following them while Tadd and Jim had the fairways lined from tee box to green.

Around the green you were 10 people deep trying to get a glimpse of the smile from the 5′1″ Tadd Fujikawa. People were racing to the next hole as if Tiger Woods were battling it out with Phil Mickelson. No it was the hometown crowd cheering on the young Tadd.

Even the other players were getting into it, watching how the crowd reacted to this young man who plays with such heart and just has fun.

The biggest moment of the day was when Tadd was walking up the 18th fairway and even Jim Furyk had to stop and clap for him. It was quite a sight. Tadd had just tried to cut the corner with a blast off the tee on the par 5 18th, missing the bunkers edge by a few yards. He then shot a magnificent shot from about 220 out of the sand to the green-side bunker where he saved a birdie try by managing a sand shot within a few feet of the cup.

It was a perfect ending to the day where Tadd was often going for it all, playing with guts, to go for glory. He had amazing shots to guarded pins, that others played safe and wen to the center of the green. He often tried and usually made it while cutting the corners.

Tadd Fujikawa was a lesson for all young golfers trying to make it big. Play for fun and play with your heart. Don’t love the sport just for the money. You’ll never make the cut if that’s all you play for.

On Friday, one local high school student famished and one local high school student flourished. Michelle Wie missed the cut again at her fourth Sony Open playing at her Waialae Country Club home course. But the big news was coming from a few holes ahead of Michelle Wie.

Tadd Fujikawa, who last year became one of the youngest players to ever qualify for the US Open, was fighting for a spot to play in the weekend. On the 18th hole, a par 5, Tadd needed a par to make the projected cut. Instead, he settled for an eagle, throwing his arms to the sky.

With that, Tadd Fujikawa became the youngest player in 50 years to make the cut in a PGA tour event. Afterwards Tadd was ecstatic about making the cut and doing it in front of his hometown crowd of friends and family. He also jokingly said he didn’t think, or better, didn’t expect to win or even come close to winning. He was just happy to be moving on to the next round.

Well, joking aside, he came out today and shot another 66 to put him in the top 10 going into the final round of the 2007 Sony Open. He sits at 7-under par, 5 strokes behind the expected leader Paul Goydos.

Hawaii looks to have some great up and coming golfers with both Tadd and Michelle. We’ll keep you in the loop with up to date info on the Sony Open. 

The Sony Open, the second stop on the 2007 PGA Tour is underway, as first tee times went off at 7:10 am HST. (That’s 5 hours behind United States East Coast Time).

Vijay Singh is coming off a big win at the Mercedes Championship on Maui and David Toms, last years Sony Open winner at the Waialae Country Club is ready to defend his title.

But the big news, as is always the case if she’s playing in a Men’s tournament, is Michelle Wie. She’ll be playing in her 4th straight Sony Open on a sponsors exemption and looking to make her first cut in a PGA event.

Some are calling the Sony Open a must win for Michelle Wie. Either way, her 8:30 tee time today will surely have a huge crowd following it.