Tadd Fujikawa hasn’t had much down time the past few days, but didn’t mind adding to his Tuesday afternoon schedule.
After qualifying for the Sony Open in Hawaii on Monday, Fujikawa was on the driving range at Waialae Country Club when Fred Funk, a regular in the Hawaii Tourism Authority Pro-Junior Challenge, approached him about taking his place in the annual prelude to the tournament.
“I’m exhausted, but he asked me personally, so it’s hard to say no to Fred Funk,” Fujikawa said. “He’s been a big supporter of me and he’s actually helped me a lot. He’s a great friend and I’d love to help out.”
With Funk resting his back, Fujikawa teamed with Punahou junior Evan Kawai in a lighthearted three-hole, alternate-shot exhibition, and just as the juniors appreciated playing with the pros, Fujikawa savored the chance to contribute to the event benefiting the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association as well as the opportunity to simply be back at Waialae.
“What they do for junior golf is phenomenal,” Fujikawa said. “I’ve gone through a lot of it and obviously I didn’t play throughout my whole high school career, but they’ve helped me a lot to grow as a person and as a golfer.”
Fujikawa was younger than most of the juniors in Tuesday’s event when he made his debut in the Sony Open as a 16-year-old Moanalua sophomore a decade ago.
He became the second youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event over a life-changing week, and his fist pump when he drained a putt for eagle that Friday remains one of the tournament’s signature moments.
He went on to play in the Sony four more times and thrilled the Waialae gallery with a round of 62 in 2009 and a 19th-place finish in 2012.
It’s been a rough stretch since and he’s contemplated giving up competitive golf during his struggles. But he stuck with it with the support of family and friends and qualified for his sixth Sony Open by surviving a playoff in the qualifier at Hoakalei Country Club.
“If I didn’t have my mom and my family, my friends, my coach, if they weren’t around encouraging me and keeping me up I definitely would have quit for sure,” Fujikawa said.
“For me, knowing what I’ve been though personally, coming back here and being able to play again is my greatest achievement so far.”
Although he’s now based in Georgia, Fujikawa remains connected with local golf, and Baldwin senior Justin Arcano — who partnered with Camilo Villegas to win the Pro-Junior Challenge — recalled watching Fujikawa’s Sony exploits as a kid on Maui.
“To have somebody out of Hawaii … it kind of shows it’s do-able,” said Arcano, who signed with the University of Hawaii.
Arcano followed the pros around last weekend at Kapalua for the SBS Tournament of Champions and soaked in the chance to swing the clubs inside the ropes for a few holes.
“My goal is to get here to the PGA Tour and it gives you a good taste,” Arcano said before catching a flight back to Maui. “The way they were having fun showed that golf is still a game to play to have fun.”
Arcano ended the event with a short birdie putt on the par-5 18th to finish at 2 under with Villegas. Maryknoll junior Allysha Mateo hit her approach from the rough to within 13 feet and Bryson DeChambeau, he of the unorthodox putting technique, had an eagle putt lip out and the pair finished at 1 under.
Mid-Pacific senior Zackary Kaneshiro and Rory Sabbatini also went 1 under. The Punahou duo of alum Parker McLachlin and junior Claire Choi were even par, as were Kawai and Fujikawa. Kaneshiro won the long-drive contest on No. 10 and Choi was the closest to the pin on the par-3 11th with a shot to 9 feet.
The Sony Open starts on Thursday with six local players in the field. Fujikawa tees off at 8:30 a.m at No. 10. McLachlin and Moanalua graduate Brent Grant will be in the 8:50 group at No. 10. Three more play in the afternoon in John Oda (1:10, No. 10), Kevin Hayashi (1:20 p.m, No. 1) and Jared Sawada (1:30, No. 1).
