Hawai'i's Tadd Fujikawa followed his worst professional round with one of his best yesterday, shooting 1-under-par 70 to open the Nationwide Tour's $575,500 Miccosukee Championship in Miami.

The 16-year-old is tied for 28th going into today's second round at Miccosukee Golf and Country Club. This is Fujikawa's sixth start as a professional. He has yet to make a cut.

The Moanalua High School junior will get a seventh start next week. Fujikawa has accepted a sponsor exemption into the Children's Miracle Network Classic. The final event of the PGA Tour's Fall Series is Nov. 1 to 4 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

"The tournament, its longstanding history and challenging course, allows me the opportunity to follow my dreams of competing among some of golf's most accomplished and talented professionals," Fujikawa said in a tournament release.

Fujikawa shot 80 at the Frys.com Open in his previous round, Oct. 12. Yesterday, that was a distant memory. He drained two birdie putts, from 25 and 5 feet, and had just one bogey. Fujikawa hit 86 percent of the fairways off the tee and needed just 24 putts.

"Today I really tried to hit fairways and greens," Fujikawa said. "I didn't get too aggressive, but I was not too defensive. I played it pretty normal — not really safe or going for things I shouldn't have. I hit the ball really well today."

He also benefited from his new "tour caddie," Scott Martin. Their first event together was at Frys.com, but Martin was taken ill early and Fujikawa's mother, Lori, carried his bag. Martin was there fulltime yesterday and was a huge help, according to Fujikawa.

Martin was recommended to the Fujikawas by Fluff Cowan, Tiger Woods' first caddie who now works for Jim Furyk. Fujikawa played with Furyk in the final round of this year's Sony Open in Hawai'i, where Fujikawa finished 20th, becoming the youngest in 50 years to make a PGA Tour cut. He turned pro six months later.

Dustin Bray leads at Miccosukee after opening with a 6-under 65 in the Nationwide's final event before its tour championship. Kamehameha graduate Keoke Cotner, 66th on the money list, shot 75.

Fujikawa's best shot at making a cut starts at 8 a.m. HST today (6 a.m. HST Golf Channel), with the same plan as yesterday.

"Fairways and greens, make a few putts," he said. "I think I should be OK if I stick to the plan and stay focused and hit good shots and be consistent."

The invitation for next week came from tournament chairman Kevin Weickel, head pro at Walt Disney World Resort, and spoke to Fujikawa's unique background. He was born 3 months premature at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, the Children's Miracle Network hospital here. He weighed just 1 pound, 15 ounces at birth and survived several operations the first six months of his life.

"We are very excited to have one of professional golf's most inspiring young figures in our field of competitors," Weickel said. "Tadd's story of perseverance and personal triumph is a remarkable narrative that embodies the magic-making of the Disney spirit."

Fujikawa might have the spirit, but he admitted he has never been to Disney World, only Disneyland in California.

"I like the roller coasters and stuff," Fujikawa said, "but through my whole life I've never been much of a Disney guy. I'm more into golf."

Kevin Bell, Fujikawa's agent, still feels it will be an ideal setting for his client, particularly if he can make his first professional cut today.

"I've always thought Disney would be a good fit for Tadd," Bell said. "Everything we try to do with Tadd, we try to find commonality between Tadd and his personality and background. Whether it's tournaments or endorsements, we want it to be a good match.

"Disney seemed like a perfect fit for Tadd. When they announced their new title sponsor — Children's Miracle Network — then it was an even better fit. ... It's nice to get two in a row, and two in the same state, much less the same country."