While the big names continued to purr back in the pack halfway through the Sony Open in Hawaii, the little guy brought a roar once again to Waialae Country Club.
Matt Every replaced Graham DeLaet as the little-known leader du jour, but the lasting memory of Friday’s second round will be of Hawaii’s Tadd Fujikawa punching his right fist in the air — again — after burying an eagle putt on his final hole.
Fujikawa, who turned pro in 2007 and 21 last Sunday, went from on the bubble to today’s most intriguing tee time (11:33 a.m.) with a birdie-eagle finish. His 4-under-par 66 leaves him at 5-under 135 going into the weekend, five shots back of Every.
Three years ago, in his senior year at Moanalua High School, Fujikawa sizzled through a Saturday 62 that put him within two shots of first here. He finished 32nd that year and 20th two years earlier, when he became the second-youngest in PGA Tour history to make a cut — and probably the smallest at 5 feet 1.
This latest Fujikawa frenzy came out of nowhere. After winning the eGolf Tour Championship in 2010, he struggled to make cuts on East Coast mini-tours in 2011, suffering a thumb injury that finally forced him to take time off.
A wake-up call offering him an exemption Tuesday got him into his fifth Sony. His finish Friday, and the roars that accompanied it, made last year’s struggles a distant memory. They were replaced by the vivid memory of the excitement he brought here in 2007 and ’09
"I’m enjoying myself now," Fujikawa said. "It’s probably been a few months since I could say that. I’m glad to be back. Being out gave me a whole new perspective."
Every birdied his last three holes for a bogey-free 64 that blew him two shots past Swede Carl Pettersson, who leads the field hitting 83 percent of the greens in regulation, and David Hearn, today’s latest, greatest Canadian golfer.
DeLaet came out of the Canadian cold Thursday to take the lead, then double-bogeyed two of his first three holes Friday. Hearn, who grew up five blocks from Wayne Gretzky, passed DeLaet after shooting a second straight 66 Friday morning.
Every came in 2 hours later with his hot finish, draining five birdie putts on his second nine, including three from outside 15 feet. This is his Sony debut. The 2006 Florida graduate won on the Nationwide Tour in 2009 and was 19th on its money list last year.
"I’ve been hitting the ball well for like the last six months, really good," Every said. "All winter long, I’d go out to the range and I’d practice for like 20 minutes because it was good and … there was no need for me to sit there and try and mess it up. I hit it good and then I’m making some putts with this new putter, so it’s good."
Every’s best PGA Tour finish in 29 previous starts was a tie for eighth at the Waste Management Phoenix Open his rookie year (2010). He was also suspended that year and broke his finger, keeping him off the course for three months and ultimately sending him back to the Nationwide Tour.
"I feel like the penalty for getting in trouble was not only the three months," Every said, "but being on the Nationwide Tour last year."
He insists he is over his anger at the suspension — "I was upset at myself … and the way it was handled" — and intent on moving on. The tour does not elaborate on reasons for suspension, but Every was forthcoming.
"I don’t do drugs," said Every, who made $457,000 in his abbreviated rookie season. "It was a crappy deal. Wrong place, wrong time, perfect storm and you know, I got three months (suspension) out of it. It’s over with."
Every is No. 301 in the World Golf Ranking this week and Hearn, who has three top 10s in 59 tour starts, No. 253. The players tied for fourth — Pat Perez (No. 189), Monday qualifier Doug LaBelle (No. 719) and Brendon De Jonge (No. 145), whose 62 was two shots off Davis Love III’s tournament record — are also outside the world’s top 100.
Those who are ranked in double digits have been hit and miss in the first full-field event of the year.
Fifth-ranked Steve Stricker, who won last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions on Maui, got to 7 under before double-bogeying his 10th hole. He is tied for 17th with Fujikawa and DeLaet.
Reigning PGA champion Keegan Bradley (No. 31) and Charles Howell III (No. 77), who has five top 10s in 10 Sony starts, are a shot ahead of that group and seventh-ranked Webb Simpson three shots back.
Past champions Jerry Kelly, Zach Johnson, Vijay Singh and Corey Pavin rallied to make the cut. Mark Wilson, Ryan Palmer, David Toms, Paul Goydos and Love, and Japanese idol Ryo Ishikawa, did not.
The cut came at 1-under 139. With 80 golfers advancing, there will be another cut to the low 70 and ties today. Players go out in twosomes beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Fujikawa will be the only one of Hawaii’s five entrants to play. Nick Mason (73—144), Parker McLachlin (74—145), Eric Dugas (75—148) and 15-year-old amateur John Oda (73—146) — who had local pro John Lynch on his bag and several Hawaii State Junior Golf Association buddies in his gallery — will not play this weekend.
