Moanalua High School junior Tadd Fujikawa announced his first corporate sponsor, and accepted another PGA Tour exemption, yesterday at Waialae Country Club.

A month before he returns to the scene of his prime-time golf debut in the Sony Open in Hawai'i, Fujikawa said he has accepted an invitation to play in the $6 million AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Feb. 7 to 10 in California. It will be his 10th start since turning pro in July, at age 16.

Playing in the Pebble Beach tournament will prevent him from defending his title in the Hawai'i Pearl Open, which is the same week. Fujikawa defeated a field of pros from Japan and the U.S. just a few weeks after shocking the golf world with a 20th-place finish at the 2007 Sony Open. He has accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the Sony Open again, Jan. 10 to 13.

Fujikawa has not made a professional cut since Pearl, playing in Japan, European, Nationwide, Canadian and PGA tour events.

Fujikawa also announced his alliance with Aloha Petroleum Ltd. Terms of the one-year deal were not announced. All Fujikawa would say was that it "gives me a little breathing room."

"It's going to help with a lot of my travel expenses and things like that," said Fujikawa. "It's definitely going to help my game get better."

Bob Maynard, president and CEO of Aloha Petroleum, said the 5-foot-1 Fujikawa "embodies the spirit of our Hawai'i. He can be a wonderful role model for the youth of Hawai'i, and the youth is our future. "

Aloha also announced a related change in its Save-A-$ Club card. Beginning next month, the company will donate 3 cents a gallon to Hawai'i junior golf for every gallon a cardholder purchases during a 12-month period. The donation is beyond the usual 3-cent-a-gallon discount cardholders receive, and will go to the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association and Aloha Section PGA Foundation.

Maynard said Fujikawa's "genuineness and exuberance" was what drew Aloha to him. "Tadd is a product of Hawai'i and one of our favorite sons. Some refer to Tadd as a prodigy. He is just getting started, and we've decided to support him in his dream to play at the pro level."

Fujikawa and his agent, Kevin Bell, said more endorsement announcements are in the process.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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