Charlotte, NC – January 14, 2010 – On Tuesday, 5'1" golf phenom Tadd Fujikawa sat down with members of the media at this week's Sony Open in Hawaii to discuss his career, the PGA TOUR, and his plans to play the eGolf Professional Tour in 2010. Fujikawa is one of an anticipated 250 members to join the tour for the upcoming season and will surely be a name to keep an eye on.

 

From PGATOUR.com:

What they said: Tadd Fujikawa

Jan. 12, 2010

MORE INTERVIEWS: Sony Open in Hawaii transcript archive

MARK WILLIAMS: Thanks for joining us at the Sony Open. Welcome again, this is your fourth time here.

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes.

MARK WILLIAMS: Nice to have you back, and just talk about what you are looking forward to this week and what the future holds for you this year?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I'm just really looking forward to being here and going on and playing again. You know, for the past few years I've done pretty well here, and I feel likes I feel very comfortable here. I love the atmosphere. My home crowd. It's a really special place to me.

MARK WILLIAMS: Questions?

Q. We asked Parker this, what sort of conditions would you like to see on the course, the trade winds, not kona?

TADD FUJIKAWA: It doesn't really matter to me. Everyone is playing the same conditions. I feel most comfortable with the trade winds but, you know, whatever it gives us. We go out there and try to shoot the best as we can.

Q. How has your game changed since the last time we saw you out here?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, a lot. I made a few changes with my swing. Not really changes, but just trying to keep on improving it. The shots I can hit now, you know, I don't see as much dispersion as I did last year, or the few years back. I feel a lot more comfortable with what I'm doing and my putting feels good. I just kind of go out there and play golf, I guess.

Q. What's the difference between Tadd last year at this time and this year at this time?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I think I have a lot more experience. You know, I think I can still hit, you know, the same shots that I could. But it's just, I think the main difference is just being able to control my emotions a lot better. I've kind of learned how to do that just playing more tournaments and more events. I feel like I don't make as many careless mistakes as I did in the past. Hopefully it will show this week.

Q. Did you feel that maybe the biggest equipment you made was maturity and your mental game?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, I think so. And I think a lot of that has to do with just me going out and playing more tournaments. This year I think I'm going to go out and play the Tar Heel Tour. I think it's eGolf. I think I'm going to be playing that throughout the whole year. It kind of depends on how I do here. But that's kind of my plan and just kind of fill it in with exemptions and Monday qualifiers and stuff and just try to go out there and play as much as I can and get some good experience playing tournaments.

Q. When does that tour start?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I think it's like February.

Q. You are going to move to Sea Island?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, I will be moving there and just kind of staying up there and practicing.

Q. Do you have a place there?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, we're renting go a place.

Q. Todd is there?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, he better be there. I'm counting on him to be there.

Q. They don't have this, do they, it's a different kind of this?

TADD FUJIKAWA: It's sorts of like this except the water is kind of

Q. Brown?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Brown, to say the least.

Q. Not as warm?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I don't know. I never really went in the water there. I don't think I want to. Usually if you can't see the bottom, that's not a good thing. I don't want to say it's different. It's a good atmosphere. All of The TOUR pros there and Davis and J-Byrd and all of those guys. It's a good atmosphere, and coaches are there, so it really helps.

Q. How big is this tournament for you as far as getting exemptions?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Pretty big. It's early in the year. If I can do well here, I think it will give me some pretty good opportunities to play more events and just get myself out there and hopefully I will give myself a chance to win this week.

Q. How many exemptions do you think you got offered last year?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I don't know. I don't really know. It really depends. There is a lot of good young players coming out now. I think the field here is strong this week and it's going to be a tough field. But I think if I can do well here hopefully I can get into the maximum six events or seven events on the TOUR.

Q. Parker mentioned growing up as junior, coming to this event, hanging around the greens, collecting balls from the pros, was that your experience, too, and do you smile as you walk by the junior skills sign up today?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Actually I don't really like watching golf. I think I came here once or twice. I probably came here for an hour and left. I was probably bored. I think I came here maybe when I was 9 years old. I just didn't enjoy watching goal. If I'm going to be here, I want to play. That's not really my deal. I set a goal that I want to be out here playing and competing against the best players in the world and still trying to achieve that goal today.

Q. Seeing the players out here, does that inspire you to get that dream for you?

TADD FUJIKAWA: No, not really. I wasn't that serious in golf at the time. It was kind of for fun. I was more into Judo still. I think when I set everything aside and just really focussed everything on golf, it was definitely an inspiration, you know, to come out here and play.

Q. Do you still practice Judo?

TADD FUJIKAWA: No. Once in a while I will go. It's a little dangerous. You can get hurt pretty easy just by taking a fall. Once in a while I will go and help the younger kids. If I go there, like I said, I'm not much of a watcher, so if I'm going to go there I want to like do something. It's hard for me just go to go there and sit on the side.

Q. Just as long as they are like really younger kids?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes.

Q. Where do you go?

TADD FUJIKAWA: To my grandfathers dojo.

Q. Which is that?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Salt Lake Judo Club.

Q. Do you feel like there is a lot of similarities between mental toughness and Judo and the mental toughness you have for golf?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, I think with Judo, it teaches you a lot to control your emotions. I think with golf, it's a little bit more important to control your emotions I'd say. But I think it's kind of similar in a way. Like I said, it teaches you discipline and it's really to work hard and never give up and give it your all.

Q. Tadd, when you were thinking about what to do, why the Tar Heel?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Because we were moving to Sea Island. It was in that area. It would be easier for us to drive. I have a few buddies that went there and they got their TOUR card this year. I guess it definitely produces a lot of good players. I wasn't really looking so much at the money, but at the competition and how well The Tour is run.

Q. Kind of give you a base, a home Tour.

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes. I think our decision I talked with coaches, and we really tried to decide, you know, how we were going to do this because recently, the past years, I have been playing on exemptions and it's been like one week. I play one week and then I have a 2 or 3 week break, then play another week. It's hard to get some rhythm and momentum going.

So we decided to just, you know, try to get out there and play a few tournaments in a row and see how well I can do out there and put myself in contention every week.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about how you spent the last few months, what have you been doing?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I have actually been in Georgia since October and just been practicing with coaches, and I went to Q School and didn't make it through. In a way I think it was a good thing. I got to work on my game a little more. I got to really see what things I can work on and how I can improve. I think it was a very good experience for me to see how Q School is and I think I can use that as an advantage, you know, in the future.

Q. How confident do you feel coming into this week?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Pretty confident. I was working with coaches up until like the middle of December. I got some good practice time in. I feel pretty good about my game. I'm starting to improve and I'm feeling confident and comfortable, you know, with what I'm doing. I'm really looking forward to this week.

Q. Do you have any overseas trips planned?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Not right now or just wait and see, I guess.

Q. If there had been no Sony Open would the world know about Tadd? Where would you be, do you think?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I don't really know. I mean the U.S. Open was sort of a big deal, but I think having the Sony Open to follow up after, that is definitely something special. I think it helped the world see who I was, I guess. I think it definitely got me noticed. I think without the Sony Open, I wouldn't really be here right now.

Q. Have you made any adjustments in living up there?

TADD FUJIKAWA: It's actually not bad. I really enjoy it up there. There is not too much to do. I guess it's a good thing in the way.

Q. Maybe just the food?

TADD FUJIKAWA: My mom comes and she cooks.

Q. What's the one thing she makes that you can't get there?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Spam musubi. I guess I miss that a lot. Spam up there is pretty expensive. I don't know. I guess my grandma can ship some over.

Q. Is there go something else other than golf that you wanted to do, your interest, what would it be, you mentioned Judo?

TADD FUJIKAWA: You know the only thing I can say is Judo, I guess. I did that competitively for a while. Other than that, I don't see myself doing anything else.

Q. Not living in Georgia?

TADD FUJIKAWA: No, I would probably just stay there.

Q. What kind of food do you get, something from the south that you kind of get attracted to that you like?

TADD FUJIKAWA: I don't know. I like everything. I really do. Maybe that's the problem.

Q. Coming from Beijing, China, a lot of people ask me how Hawaii can produce so many good junior players, Michelle Wie and you, is it the Hawaii Junior Golf program?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, I think we have a very good program, and I think that being able to have a program like that where we can always keep playing tournaments, like during the summer and stuff, gives us a good opportunity to keep playing, almost like you are on a Tour. It kind of gives you that feel, and the competition is really good. And I think, the juniors from Hawaii, really practice hard and dedicate a lot of their time, and I think that's what helps us produce a lot of good players.

Q. Does the high school have a junior golf program?

TADD FUJIKAWA: Yes, I think so. All of the private schools have a junior golf program and most of the public schools do, I think so, I think that helps also.

Q. As you've gotten older, is there any regrets?

TADD FUJIKAWA: No. Like I've said in the past, the things I've learned out here, it's really special. You can't learn it anywhere else.

I think the improvements that I made with my game, I think I wouldn't have been able to do it without playing on the TOUR and getting coaching from the PGA instructors.

I think the things, the people, that I have met through golf and being out here, you can't take that away from me.

MARK WILLIAMS: Thanks for joining us, we appreciate your time.

Transcript courtesy of sportstranscripts.com.

 

Now living in Georgia, Fujikawa back at Sony

By Jim McCabe

January 13, 2010 1:10 p.m.

HONOLULU – He is miles from home, but very much at home. Confusing? Not really. It's the new world for Tadd Fujikawa, the lovable and still young (he turned 19 last Friday) golfer from Hawaii.

Having first appeared on the golf scene in 2006 as the youngest-ever (15) qualifier for the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Fujikawa is here at the Sony Open on a sponsor's exemption. Makes sense, given that he grew up not far from Waialae CC, but the truth is, he's now based in Sea Island, Ga.

It's a sound decision, for it allows him to be near the eGolf Professional Tour, which is where he'll try and hone his game in 2010. For Fujikawa, who is just 5-foot-1 and was never given better than 50-50 odds of surviving after being born three months premature, it will be his first real professional tour. It will afford him the chance to be around his swing coach, Todd Anderson, on a daily basis.

"It's a good atmosphere," Fujikawa said. "All the Tour pros are there, Davis (Love), Jay-Bird (Jonathan Byrd), and all those guys. It really helps."

Fujikawa made the cut at the Sony in 2007 and had a chance to win as an amateur before he closed with a 73 and finished tied for 20th. He got in that year by winning the local Governor's Cup, a tournament for local junior players. He was a sponsor's pick in 2008 and missed the cut; a year ago he got through pre-qualifier and the Monday qualifier, shot 275 and finished tied for 32nd to earn his first check as a professional ($29,237).

 

Priceless exposure for Fujikawa

By Ferd Lewis Advertiser Columnist

The best birthday presents Tadd Fujikawa has given himself these last few years have been Sonys.

Not PlayStations, either.

But performances in the Sony Open in Hawai'i.

His 16th birthday in 2007 was followed by a 27th-place finish that opened the way for a pro career. The 32nd spot a week after his 18th birthday last year helped land a handful of sponsor's exemptions, including a return to the tournament that opens today at Waialae Country Club.

So, to gaze out over the 7,068-yard course at this morning's 8:40 tee time is, for Fujikawa, to see acres of opportunity in the new year.

Beyond the money offered this week — and he banked $29,237 for last year's performance — is the visibility the tournament can provide. No small consideration when you are young, ambitious, 5 feet 2, and without a PGA Tour card.

Had Fujikawa made it through his first shot at qualifying school, securing exemptions wouldn't be the overriding goal they have become. But with an eGolf Tour in the Carolinas upcoming next month, Sony can be his launching pad to more time at PGA Tour stops.

As the first full-field PGA Tour event of the year, playing well in the Sony can put him on the minds of tournament directors across the land in ways that mere e-mails and beseeching phone calls from his agent would not. The best advertisement he can have for a spot in their tournaments is a place on the leaderboard at Waialae amid a background of a cheering gallery on the Golf Channel this week.

"Especially this time of the year I think it is very important for Tadd to do well here because it does flow forward as far as exemptions," said his agent, Kevin Bell. "Each tournament is looking for something of interest with their exemptions. Some take care of local players and some look for someone who is in the news."

Last year, after leading the Sony Open for a couple of hours, Fujikawa offered the latter. For the sight of the teenager with the trademark ear-to-ear grin knocking down birdies can make for a pretty compelling draw that extends beyond hardcore golf followers.

"I think the field here is strong this week and it is going to be tough," Fujikawa said. "But I think, if I can do well here, hopefully, I can get into the maximum six or seven events of the (PGA) Tour."

For Fujikawa, home is where the hope — and future — is this week.