Tadd Fujikawa and Michelle Wie found their golf fortunes going in drastically different directions at this week's Sony Open in Hawai'i. They met in the post-round middle ground.

While Fujikawa, 16, was smoking through his second round Friday, Wie patiently answered questions about her discouraging finish (78-76) in her fourth Sony Open. Fujikawa's surprising performance was brought up. Wie, who just met the Moanalua High sophomore last week when they took a picture together, was happy to talk about something and someone else.

"I think it's great," Wie, 17, said of Fujikawa's showing. "I've never played with him or talked with him. It's great being how young he is. I'm rooting for him. I think it's going to be great."

A little later, Fujikawa was asked if he was going to "give Michelle a hard time" about making a PGA Tour cut before she did. "No," he said without hesitation. "That's kind of mean. I'm not that mean. I probably won't do that."

Yesterday, Fujikawa did just the opposite, basically thanking Wie for her inspiration.

"When she first started playing this tournament she was doing really well," Fujikawa said. "At age 14 she almost made the cut. I think she missed it by one shot. That really gave the Hawai'i juniors something to strive for. I think it kind of told them, you know, you can do it, too. If she can do it, then you can do it, and gave them kind of an inspiration to do better.

"And I think that's why Hawai'i golf nowadays is improving and there's a lot more great players coming out of Hawai'i you know, like Dean Wilson, Parker (McLachlin), Michelle, Kimberly Kim. I think it's just great for golf, period."

BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Jim Furyk, the world's second-ranked golfer, saw a side of Tadd Fujikawa he liked Thursday. He told a story about practicing his putting as it got dark, looking over and seeing Fujikawa "chipping and goofing around and having fun."

"It didn't strike me until I was driving home that he played in the morning," Furyk said. "He probably hung out and had fun and enjoyed it. ... It was refreshing to see that, instead of us. We're always grouchy and working."

Fujikawa hasn't found that to be true. He went on at length about how kind playing partners Boo Weekly and Steve Wheatcroft were the first two days. Yesterday, Nathan Green probably saved Fujikawa untold trouble by telling him to wait for a ruling on the final hole after Fujikawa hooked his drive into the trees. Because grandstands were between his ball and the green, the official allowed Fujikawa to drop in the opposite rough, taking the trees out of play.

Fujikawa ended up missing a 10-foot birdie putt.

"Kind of lucky," said Fujikawa, who admitted he was about to hit through the trees before Green intervened.

NOTES

Stephen Ames and Tom Johnson were both disqualified Friday for signing incorrect scorecards. ... Tadd Fujikawa is the first amateur to make a Sony/Hawaiian Open cut since Don Hurter in 1981. Hurter was a sophomore at New Mexico that year. He tied for 36th at 8-under 280 (the course played to a par-72 then). ... Scott Verplank and Phil Mickelson are the only amateurs to win a tour event. Mickelson did it while he was a college student, at 20 years, 6 months. ... The winning amateurs in Wednesday's Pro-Am were Hiro Matsuda, Kentaro Nezu, Tom Ludington and Akio Yano. They and pro Jason Bohn shot 49.