Short in stature, youth has big game, heart

By Bill Kwon

If it's amazing that a 13-year-old nearly won the recent Mayor's Cup, posted top-10 finishes in the Barbers Point Invitational and the Hickam Invitational, and advanced with two wins in the Manoa Cup, it's nothing short of miraculous that Tadd Fujikawa is playing golf at all.

"I've always been the smallest," says Tadd Fujikawa, who was born 3 1/2 months premature. "And I don't care about being different from anybody else." Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Fujikawa weighed only 1 pound, 15 ounces when he was born 3 1/2 months premature.

"He wasn't considered even an infant. More like a fetus," said Lori Fujikawa, who was told by doctors that Tadd had only a 50-percent chance of surviving.

At 7 days old, Fujikawa underwent the first of five surgeries before he was 6 months old when he then weighed only 10 pounds.

Looking at the baby pictures his parents showed him when they thought he was old enough to fully comprehend the ordeal, Fujikawa couldn't believe how tiny he was.

Fujikawa is now 4 feet 11, 120 pounds — still undersized. But the heart of the eighth-grader at Moanalua Middle School is big as all outdoors.

"He has always been a fighter," said his mom, who along with her husband, Derrick, aren't surprised by their only youngster's success in golf after taking up the sport just three years ago.

"To be normal is amazing. It's (his success in golf) even more amazing," she said.

But then, nothing surprises Fujikawa's parents anymore. They knew he has a strong will.

"He just doesn't give up," Lori said.

At the age of 8 when he weighed 62 pounds, Fujikawa won the first of four national judo titles in United States Judo Association and U.S. Judo Federation tournaments.

He took up judo because of his father, a black belt, and his grandfather, Daniel Fujikawa, who is still the head master of the Salt Lake Judo Club.

"I still help (Daniel) when I can," said Tadd, whose long-range goal once had been making the Olympics in judo. Now, he's devoting all of his energies into golf.

Judo has been a tradition in the family. But his mother's cousin, Judy Tonda, is an accomplished golfer and former University of Hawai'i women's golf coach.

Tadd began hitting golf balls every week with Tonda, who taught him the rudiments of the game. Soon golf became his passion.

As with all of his endeavors, he took up the challenge seriously, joining the O'ahu Junior Golf Association. And when he sought special instruction, two outstanding golfers, Stephanie Kono and Mari Chun, suggested their golf guru, Kevin Ralbovsky.

"What really impressed me was the discipline he must have learned from judo," Ralbovsky said. "He was calm, very patient. I knew he was special."

A back-to-back Callaway State junior golf champion in his age group, Fujikawa finished tied for fourth in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships in Palm Beach, Fla., this summer, and also competed in the Junior World Championships in San Diego for the second year in a row.

Fujikawa credits judo for his rapid development in golf.

"It takes a lot of discipline in judo and I can relate it to golf," he said. "In judo, you face people with different sizes, techniques and styles. It's the same in golf. It's not how big you are or how far you can hit the ball. I learned that hitting the ball far isn't everything. Being accurate is more important."

Nor is he intimidated when competing against taller foes.

"I've always been the smallest. And I don't care about being different from anybody else. I've always been different and I want to be different.

"That has made a big difference in my life."

Fujikawa averages 250 yards off the tee, and is working on improving his distance. But he knows his success will depend on an accurate short game.

After all that he has gone through, his mental game won't be a problem. Neither will intimidation be a factor now that he has played against adults.

"I know a lot of the older people are better than me and playing with them was kinda scary at first," he said. "They hit the ball farther than me. But I know the most important thing is to play my own game. And I felt I did pretty good."

"This was a breakthrough year for Tadd," said Ralbovsky, who entered him into adult tournaments for the first time this year.

Fujikawa will play in the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association championships on Oct. 16 to 17 at Makena South and Pukalani, and the HSJGA Tournament of Champions on Dec. 11 to 12, also on Maui, at Wailea Emerald.

He may also enter the Hawai'i State Open at the Hawai'i Prince Nov. 18 to 21.

Fujikawa's grandfather told an Advertiser reporter several years ago:

"Judo is a sport where the small ones can beat the big guys."

His grandson is proving that the same can be said in golf.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.