There's much to be said for following your heart and living your dream.

That's just what teen golfer Tadd Fujikawa has his sights set on. The 16-year-old is giving up his amateur status to pursue a career as a professional golfer.

Tadd became the second-youngest golfer in PGA Tour history to make a cut, posting an impressive finish at this year's Sony Open.

But beyond the numbers, it was Tadd's endearing charm that earned him an impressive army of fans who followed his every stroke at the Waialae Country Club golf course.

Just breaking the 5-foot-tall mark, Fujikawa's spirit on the green can barely be contained. He's charming, self-effacing — and just jazzed to be there.

The Moanalua High School student, grounded in family and always exuding passion for developing his golf game, will need both those qualities to successfully see him through some of challenges that lie ahead. Already, industry watchers are saying he will have to work hard to earn his endorsements, contrasting him with Michelle Wie. At 16, Wie signed a lucrative contract worth an estimated $5 million a year.

But that's not the point, really. The only standards he should be held to are his own. And he should be the one to define his parameters for success, financial and otherwise.

One thing is certain: His heart is in it. "This is my dream," he says. "I'd give everything up for it. I'm going to do the best I can."

Who can ask for more?