Life for golfer Tadd Fujikawa has gone from dial-up to a high-speed blur.

A month after stunning the world at the Sony Open in Hawai'i by becoming the youngest in 50 years to make a PGA Tour cut, the 5-foot-1 16-year-old hasn't had much time to read a book, much less a putt.

Oprah's people have called, as have Barbara Walters' at The View. The Fujikawas' cell phones have been smoking — 2,000 minutes and counting for mom Lori the last three weeks.

Sleep has become a commodity. Dinners with total strangers have become the norm. Fujikawa has been to the home of Yoshiko Morita, the widow of the Sony founder, twice, sharing dinner with Japanese star Shigeki Maruyama one night.

Phil Mickelson called for a game. Fujikawa golfed with Japanese golf icon Ai Miyazato and her brother. "They ragged each other all day," said Tadd, the only child. "All day. It was really funny."

Comedian George Lopez hit one brilliant shot at his PGA tournament the week after Sony, posed, and told the cameras proudly, "I am the 6-foot-1 Tadd Fujikawa."

Fujikawa has been featured in Sports Illustrated and appeared on the cover of Golfweek and GolfWorld magazines. "Pretty cool," was his response.

An entire class from 'Aiea Elementary sent him notes. Strangers appear out of nowhere wanting pictures and autographs.

Fujikawa's friends giggle and give him a knowing glance. He smiles that smile and politely does pretty much anything anyone asks, with his parents often asking if more is needed.

He signed autographs at Waialae hours after the final round, then wrote a thank-you letter to the "Officers, Directors, Members, Staff, Sony Open Volunteers, Fellow Golfers and Caddie." It thanked everyone from the cooks to those who water the lawn, insisting their "faith in me has inspired me to play the best golf of my life."

It concluded: "Waialae will always remain a magical place in my heart, and I will treasure these memories of this past week for the rest of my life. From the bottom of my heart, and the rest of the Fujikawa Family, thank you very very much!"

STUNNING START TO 2007

He is, at this moment, the face of Hawai'i golf, and that huge grin has made an indelible impact.

"Absolutely," said Kapalua's Mark Rolfing, an NBC golf analyst. "The fact is, this is the biggest story at the beginning of the year in golf, and it won't be surpassed unless Tiger breaks Byron Nelson's record (of 11 straight wins) or something incredible. Tadd could be the biggest golf story of the year."

Fujikawa's life changed over a four-day span Jan. 11 to 14 when he took on the Big Boys of the PGA Tour — and one very wealthy, extremely well-known Hawai'i girl — and stunned the golf world with results that were beyond belief.

After soaring as high as fourth, the 5-foot-1 golfing giant settled into a tie for 20th in the midst of gasps, glory and a series of uppercuts that left the golf world KO'd.

What can Fujikawa do for an encore?

It is a fascinating question his family is only beginning to fathom. But for this week, Fujikawa is still ours.

He will play in the Hawai'i Pearl Open, beginning Friday morning at Pearl Country Club. First prize is $12,000.

Not that Fujikawa could collect. As an amateur, a Moanalua High School sophomore and a guy serious about attending college — his idea of becoming a vet has been replaced by a plan to major in business — he is not allowed to accept money.

That is part of what made his Sony charge so refreshing. There is little doubt Fujikawa had more fun at Waialae than anyone, including winner Paul Goydos. He also inspired more joy and caught more imaginations with his talent, tenacity, that huge uppercut of a celebration and the grin that rocked the golf world, making him the feel-good story of 2007.

He gave golf fans and — maybe more important — those who had no interest in golf, a reason to root in a game that sorely lacks that valuable asset.

His humility and exuberance were a killer combination. His gracious nature and gentle charm melted hearts and had complete strangers searching out his parents, Lori and Derrick, for their secrets.

NO PRESSURE TO WIN

Their son was eloquent in his honesty: "I'm probably not going to win this tournament," he said softly, drawing laughter from the international media moments after making the cut with his thunderous eagle on Sony's 36th hole.

"No, truthfully, I'm probably not going to win this tournament. But I'm certainly going to do my best."

He, and maybe he alone, believed he had a shot at it and his best, remarkably, was almost good enough. Fujikawa followed up his fairway-shaking 66 Friday with a 66 sequel Saturday, climbing as high as fourth duri ng the round.

Rolfing admits he thought Fujikawa had a shot at winning, but felt it was "too ludicrous" to voice on the air.

Fujikawa's golf game spoke for him, in surround sound.

While the pros picked their spots to hit driver, he fearlessly launched his on every (non par-3) hole but two, and still hit more greens in regulation than anyone. He sank nearly every "makeable" putt with a rare Scotty Cameron putter given to him the Tuesday of tournament week by Scotty Cameron, and even rammed in a few from the slick greens' outer limits.

The stars aligned and a new Hawai'i star laughed through the lush Waialae fairways. Fujikawa somehow reveled in his success and humility, his ability to be a "child of the 'aina" and the ultimate underdog, yet still be beating the planet's best golfers, who were twice his age and a few heads higher.

"I wasn't overwhelmed at all," Fujikawa recalls. "My family was, but I was having so much fun I just couldn't even worry about that sort of thing. It was so fun to be out there. It's not something you can do every day, that's for sure."

And it won't be, at least for a while. There is high school to finish and college to ponder. His mother reports a "few invitations" to play other PGA Tour events, which have been declined because of school. More invitations have come from Japan, but so far the Fujikawas have made no commitments.

NO 'REAL' FUTURE PLANS

There have been no endorsement offers, but clearly the interest is there.

Before Sony ended, Davie Brown Talent/The Marketing Arm was contacting The Advertiser about Fujikawa's potential.

"He was barely on the radar before last Friday, so his endorsement potential was much lower than it is now, at least in the general golf population," said Scott Sanford, Davie Brown's senior client director, when it was over.

"Most athletes need a combination of success and a 'separator' to achieve marketability. His separator is his age. As he continues to have success, the deals will follow."

Not "if" he continues to have success, but "as" Fujikawa not only showed his potential at Sony, he flaunted it in real life for the world to see, in an immensely likeable way.

"A lot will open up for him," Rolfing believes. "I hope he doesn't walk in all the doors that open up and I don't think he will. I think he is very well-grounded. The great thing about Tadd is, he is playing for fun. All you have to do is watch all those highlights.

"If he turned pro, next year would be no fun for him. I think he wants to be a professional golfer, but there is no plan or path to do that. That's a great thing."

The Fujikawas confirm that there is no real "plan." Tadd will "let my mom worry about" the exemption offers while he concentrates on junior and national amateur events.

Lori, who works in the office of a Kalihi body shop, and Derrick, in construction management, prefer to blend into their son's crowds. They lingered behind him at Sony, talking story with friends and strangers, who were suddenly inclined to tell them "dynamite comes in small packages."

They were overwhelmed by the support he received and continues to enjoy, and surprised at the huge number of kids and junior golfers in his gallery.

Their son figures half of what he accomplished can be traced back to the spontaneous burst of energy and emotion supplied by the Waialae crowds.

"Everybody out there just makes me want to be better," he said.

His parents have been thanking people since. "We will never forget all that the people of Hawai'i have done for us," Lori said.

The spontaneity of that four-day-long "moment" is vivid in all their memories. Tadd remembers every detail "from when I walked off the tee and up to the green."

TRULY UNFORGETTABLE

He recalls Jim Furyk, his final-round partner, telling him he had "a lot of game" as he leaned far over to hug Fujikawa when it was over.

His mind is cluttered with the "tips" pros gave him "without even knowing it. ... It really helped me to learn about golf and stuff like that."

He particularly remembers major champion Nick Faldo, The Golf Channel analyst, gave him a standing ovation on the air, joking that Fujikawa was now "his bodyguard" and telling him flat out he was ready for the PGA Tour.

"That was really special," Fujikawa said. "I really took that into consideration on my confidence level. I always kept that in mind."

He always will, just as those who watched that weekend will never forget his glow and grin and utter joy.

"He changed everything," Rolfing insists. "What he gave Hawai'i was a reason to rejoice again about our golf at all levels out there."

There are so many people to thank, and so little time — even at 16. And there is golf, always. This week, for the first time, Fujikawa will wear the bull's-eye of Boy Wonder to Beat.

"Before I was the one trying to beat somebody," Fujikawa said. "Now, honestly, I've learned you don't want to try and beat somebody. You want to beat yourself.

"At Pearl I'll just try to do my best. Really, that's what I was trying to do at Sony. I hope I can still do it. ... Inside, I've not changed at all. It's really simple."

And simply irresistible.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.