Do you believe in miracles?

How about menehune?

While Charles Howell III put himself in position to fulfill more of his great potential by seizing the third-round lead yesterday at the Sony Open in Hawai'i, 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa somehow topped his phenomenal Friday.

The littlest, youngest and least well-heeled guy out here for the PGA Tour's first full-field event shook the ground again at Waialae Country Club. After becoming the youngest in 50 years to make a tour cut Friday, Fujikawa fired another 4-under-par 66 at the professional field to careen into contention.

At 7-under 203, the Moanalua High sophomore is tied for eighth, six shots behind Howell. Fujikawa is morphing into a real-life menehune — a small figure capable of large, often magical feats — before our astonished eyes.

"I was really impressed," said Steve Stricker, who shot 69 to Fujikawa's 65 in Monday's Dream Cup and has served as his publicist to the pros since. "He took out driver on every hole and ... he drove it everywhere. I asked him on one hole, 'Are you going to hit driver there in the tournament?' He's like, 'Yep.' Without even batting an eye.

"He just seems like he has a lot of confidence in his game and himself. He played great when I played with him. All 5-1 of him."

The fascination with Fujikawa, who became the youngest to play in a U.S. Open at 15 last year, appears endless. Golf Channel followed his every grin yesterday, from the practice range to the private party post-round at the "Sony House" on the 16th hole. His parents were approached for interviews all over the course. The UCLA coach was reportedly in the gallery.

And Fujikawa was celebrated as a hometown hero every step of the way. Hundreds — many claiming to be cousins, classmates and close friends — greeted him on the first tee. Grandma and grandpa were there, along with piles of "aunties" and "uncles" and the families of some of Hawai'i's finest young golfers (Stephanie Kono, Ryan Perez and Mari Chun), who have known him since he was "The Taddster."

"I'm super nervous when I watch him, probably more nervous than he is," Kono said as she followed at a distance. "I can't watch him."

Fujikawa was imperturbable. Hundreds ballooned into thousands as he piled on six birdie putts, even more emphatic fist pumps to "craze" his adoring crowd, and kept that killer smile going the entire time. His massive gallery left the rest of Waialae eerily empty.

He tees off with 1996 Hawaiian Open champion Jim Furyk (69—202), and probably several thousand of his closest friends, today at 12:48 p.m. Stricker (67—201) and 2000 Sony champion Paul Azinger (68—202) are next, followed by Paul Goydos (70—199) and Ted Purdy (66—201), and Luke Donald (69—198) and Howell, whose 65 yesterday was the only score better than Fujikawa's and Purdy's.

How is this possible? No one is quite sure aside from Fujikawa, whose mantra has become "I'm out here just to have fun and do my best and hit the best shot that I can at every moment."

"I think today I did that pretty well," he said. "I don't have a particular goal in mind, you know, 10-under or top-10 or anything like that. But top-10 would be great. I think for any 16-year-old at a PGA Tour event, the top-10 is unbelievable."

His golf has been unbelievable. Fujikawa is hitting more greens in regulation than the best players on the planet this week — nearly 80 percent. He drained six birdie putts between 5 and 47 feet yesterday and missed four others inside 15.

So on a day when the leaders were around par and Howell was the hottest player at a windy Waialae, the "great little kid" — Goydos' words — did the unthinkable and left everyone wondering what is truly possible today. The youngest winner of a tour event — and only teenage champion — is Johnny McDermott, who was 19 years, 10 months when he captured the 1911 U.S. Open.

"What he is doing is really incredible," Howell said.

"Beyond belief," Goydos added. "You would have expected him to almost say, 'Hey, I've accomplished something,' and lay down, but this kid obviously didn't do that. ... An amazing accomplishment."

How much magic does Fujikawa have left in his golf bag?

"I feel really comfortable right now," he said. "I'm just going for everything. I have nothing to lose. Also, my game is on another level so I feel I can attack the pin and, at the same time, be very confident."

Why not? How many thousands will have his back today?

"I'm not sure how many people were out there," Fujikawa said, in awe of what has transpired. "But I'm sure this is the biggest crowd I've ever seen in my life.

"Having this many people out here watching and supporting you really hypes you up and gets you going. I think that really played a big part in all of my birdies today."

Howell, 27, finished third here in 2005, then suffered through the worst year of his very successful professional life. The 2001 Rookie of the Year dropped to 52nd on the money list in 2006, and dropped David Leadbetter, his instructor since age 10. When Howell missed five consecutive cuts, he went back to Leadbetter.

This week, all the turmoil seems worthwhile. He birdied the last two holes to take the lead from Donald, who had held it after the first two rounds, and Goydos, who had it through the 14th hole yesterday. Howell's offseason focus on putting has paid off. He has drained a dozen putts longer than 10 feet this week — four of those longer than 20.

Or, in terms more pertinent this week, longer than four Tadd Fujikawas. Howell recalled being "scared to death" when he played a tour event at age 16, and having "no chance of making the cut whatsoever."

"Man, to see him get to 8-under at one point," Howell said. "Wow, that's awesome."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.