MAMARONECK, N.Y. — Moanalua High School sophomore-to-be Tadd Fujikawa is the youngest player at the U.S. Open at age 15, and some might say he had the easiest road to Winged Foot. His 36-hole sectional qualifier in Hawai'i featured only 10 players competing for one spot.

Whether the USGA continues to offer one spot from such a small qualifier looks doubtful.

"We're looking into it," executive director David Fay said.

The USGA tries to distribute the U.S. Open spots depending on the strength of the field and the number of players entered. There were 18 spots (in a 153-player field) at Canoe Brook in New Jersey, where Michelle Wie tried to qualify, because so many PGA Tour players were there. Colorado and Oregon qualifiers also offered only one spot, but they had 25 and 26 players, respectively, in the field.

"It's obviously because of travel," said Jeff Sluman, who earned one of 21 spots in Columbus, Ohio. "They should probably lump it into the California regional. If you've got to travel to Winged Foot from Hawai'i, you can probably travel to California to get in."

Fujikawa finished two shots behind Wie in the 18-hole local qualifier on O'ahu.

Wie was surprised to hear that only 10 players were competing for one spot at Po'ipu Bay, although she played the LPGA Championship last week and it would not have made sense to stay home.

Dean Wilson, born in Hawai'i and now living in Las Vegas, didn't see anything wrong with leaving a sectional qualifier in Hawai'i. This is his third U.S. Open, and he has always qualified on the Mainland.

"I guess it would be an easier way (to get in)," Wilson said. "I look it at the other way being from Hawai'i. All the other times, it's so tough for anyone from Hawai'i to qualify for the Open or the U.S. Amateur or any other tournament."

Yesterday, Fujikawa peeked at the practice board to find an open slot in Tiger Woods' 7 a.m. practice group. Nervously, he signed his name.

"I'm not sure if he's willing to play with me or not, but I hope so," Fujikawa said. "It will be a lot of fun."