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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, January 14, 2010

Amateur Kua shoots 1-under 69, leads Hawai‘i golfers in Sony Open field


Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Tadd Fujikawa acknowledges his fans after sinking his second birdie in a row on the 18th.

GREGORY YAMAMOTO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Parker McLachlin tees from the 10th tee at today's Sony Open in Hawaii. McLachlin shot a 2-over 72.

GREGORY YAMAMOTO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Ryan Palmer reacts to his birdie putt on his final hole of the day during the first round of the Sony Open in Hawaii. Palmer shot a 5-under 65.

GREGORY YAMAMOTO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Kaua'i's TJ Kua, the lone amateur in the Sony Open field, birdied two of his last three holes en route to a 1-under-par 69 today and was four strokes behind the leaders in the first round at Waialae Country Club.

Zach Johnson, the defending champion, was in a six-way tie for the lead after shooting 5-under 65. He is tied with Robert Allenby, John Merrick, Ryan Palmer, Davis Love III and Troy Merritt. Ten players were one shot back.

Honolulu's Tadd Fujikawa, after rallying to pull even on the front nine, bogeyed three of the first four holes on the back en route to a 72. Kane'ohe native Dean Wilson and ex-University of Hawai'i-Hilo golfer Nick Mason shot a 71s, while Honolulu's Parker McLachlin shot a 72. Hilo's Kevin Hayashi shot 74.

Kua, a Kamehameha alum from Lihue, gained entry as sponsor's exemption by winning a Hawai'i amateur's qualifying spot. The University of Hawai'i sophomore had a four bogeys (Nos. 3, 8, 11 and 14) and five birdies (Nos. 4, 9, 13, 16 and 18) today.

Wilson, a tour veteran and Castle alum, started on the back nine and had a birdie (par-4 No. 15) and a bogey (par-3 No. 17) to make the turn at even-par 35. He bogeyed the par-3 No. 4 before parring the rest of the way.

Punahou alum McLachlin had three birdies and five bogeys.

Mason rallied with three birdies on his last five holes after a rocky start on the front nine. Mason, who earned a spot during Monday's qualifying, had a bogey (par-4 No. 2) and two double bogeys (No. 4 and No. 7). He had two birdies (Nos. 5 and 9) to make the turn at 3 over. After a bogey on No. 13, Mason rallied with birdies on No. 14 and 16 and 18.

Hayashi, playing in his ninth event at Waialae after qualifying as the Aloha Section Stroke Play champion started on the back nine and had two bogeys (No. 14 and No. 15) and a birdie on No. 18 to make the turn at 1 over. He bogeyed Nos. 1, 6 and 9 on the front nine.

The four major winners — Angel Cabrera (The Masters), Stewart Cink (The British Open), Lucas Glover (The U.S. Open), and Y.E. Yang (The PGA Championship) — also are in the field.

Cabrera shot 4-under 66. Cink shot 2-under 68. Yang shot even-par 70. Glover played the last five holes in 5-over and finished 5-over 75.

FUJIKAWA'S ROUND

Fujikawa, 19, who created a stir last year while taking a brief lead with a third-round 62, started off on the back nine and carded a birdie on No. 10.

But he bogeyed his next two holes. He followed with two pars before another bogey on hole No. 15.

However, the 5-foot-1 Moanalua High alum birdied No. 17 and 18 to make the turn at even-par 35.

The back nine wasn't as kind. He bogeyed three of the first four holes. Fujikawa finished with a birdie on his final hole for a round of 35-37—72.

Last year, Fujikawa opened with a 1-over 71. He shot a 1-under 69 to make the cut at even-par 140.

Recapping Fujikawa's birdie and bogey holes:

On his day's first hole — the 351-yard par-4 10th — Fujikawa drove his ball to the right rough, 86 yards from the green. He hit his second shot to 11 feet, 7 inches of the hole and buried his putt for a birdie. Score: 1-under.

On No. 11 (his second hole) — a 194-yard, par 3 — Fujikawa overshot the green by 26 yards, leading to a bogey. Score: Even.

On the 12th — a 440-yard, par 4 — Fujikawa hit his second shot into the greenside bunker, leading to another bogey. Score: 1 over.

On No. 15 — a 398-yard, par 4 with a slight dogleg left — Fujikawa's second shot missed the green and landed in the rough, about eight yards from the hole. He got on the green with his next shot and two-putted. Score: 2 over.

On No. 17 — a 194-yard, par 3 — Fujikawa's tee shot landed 7 feet, 6 inches from the hole and he drained his putt for birdie. Score 1 over.

On No. 18 — a 551-yard, par 5 with a dogleg left — Fujikawa drove it 271 yards into the fairway bunker. Still 241 yards from the hole, Fujikawa hit his next shot to within 56 yards of the hole. His third shot landed 10 feet, 1 inch from the hole, from where he putted in for birdie. Score: Even.

On No. 1 (his 10th) — a 480-yard, par 4 — Fujikawa got in trouble off the tee when he hit his ball into he right rough and was forced to hit back into the fairway. He was on the green in three and two-putted from 63 feet. Score: 1 over.

On No. 3 — a 422-yard, par 4 — Fujikawa's second shot went short right of the green. He got on in three and two-putted for a bogey. Score: 2 over.

On No. 4 — a 204-yard, par 3 — Fujikawa's tee shot landed in the greenside bunker. He blasted past the hole, leaving him a par putt of 27 feet, 9 inches. He came up about two feet short before sinking his second putt. Score: 3 over.

On No. 9 — a 506-yard, par 5 — Fujikawa drove his tee shot 326 yards down the right fairway. His second shot landed on the green 54 feet, 1 inch from the hole. He two-putted for a birdie. Score: 2 over with nines of 35-37—72.

MCLACHLIN'S ROUND

McLachlin, a former Honolulu resident and PGA Tour, carded pars on the first five holes.

He then birdied No. 6 but recorded bogeys on the next two holes before closing with a birdie to make the turn at even-par 35. After two pars on the back nine, McLachlin bogeyed Nos. 12, 13 and 15 before closing with a birdie on No. 18 to finish at 35-37—72.

Recapping McLachlin's birdie and bogey holes:

On No. 6 — a 460-yard par 4 — McLachlin drove it about 350 yards, leaving himself 113 yards from the hole. His second shot put him 19 feet, 1 inch from the hole. He drained the put for birdie. Score: 1 under.

On No. 7 — a 176-yard par 3 — his shot hit the green but was 66 feet from the hole. From there, he three-putted for bogey. Score: Even.

On No. 8 — a 454-yard par 4 — McLachlin drove the ball 327 yards slight to the right, leaving him 145 yards to the hole. He overshot his second shot and took another to get on the green. He two-putted for a bogey. Score: 1 over.

On No. 9 — a 506-yard par 5 — McLachlin's tee shot landed in a fairway bunker, 238 yards from the hole. His second shot left him 68 yards from the hole. But his approach landed about eight feet from the hole, from where he one-putted for a birdie. Score: Even.

On No. 12 — a 440-yard, par 4 — McLachlin's second shot landed in the rough about 22 yards away. He chipped on and two-putted. Score: 1 over.

On No. 13 — a 477-yard, par 4 with dogleg right — McLachlin's 289-yard tee shot went way left and his approach landed in the rough. He chipped on and two-putted. Score: 2 over.

On No. 15 — a 398-yard, par 4 with a slight dogleg left — McLachlin's first shot landed in the fairway but his second went into the rough, from where he chipped on and two-putted. Score: 3 over.

On No. 18 — a 551-yard, par 5 with a dogleg left — McLachlin's drive went into the fairway bunker and his second shot went into the greenside bunker. But his third shot landed 4 feet, 3 inches from the hole and he putted in for a closing birdie. Score: 2 over with nines of 35-37—72.

Statistical information via pgatour.com