Tadd Fujikawa's paycheck last week in the Honda Classic wasn't much: $12,805 and change. He nearly won that much in the Mid-Pacific Open as its youngest champion last year. I know, I know, not bad for an 18-year-old high school senior.

But it wasn't so much the amount of money that was significant. After all, Fujikawa earned $29,237 in making the cut in the Sony Open in Hawai'i earlier this year. Rather, it was that he made his first cut in a PGA tournament not played at the Waialae Country Club. That was the real breakthrough, he said. That and accomplishing a few goals while playing a tough golf course and against a good field at the PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

"Definitely, I think so," said Fujikawa by telephone from Puerto Rico, where he is playing in his third PGA event of the year, the Puerto Rico Open, starting today at the Trump International Golf Club.

"It was a big thing for me to do that last week. I played well in Hawai'i before, obviously. I qualified for the Sony and then made the cut and shot 62, which was really nice. But I think it was very important for me to make a cut outside of Hawai'i, showing everyone that I not only can do it in Hawai'i, but I can also do it in other places on the Mainland."

Fujikawa tied for 52nd in the Honda but came away with good vibes.

"Overall, I thought it was a good week. I accomplished pretty much what I needed to — at least make the cut and get myself to play four days," said Fujikawa, who closed with a 69 for a 284 total.

"I had a rough third day, which I thought held me back a little bit. But I think the things that I've changed in my golf swing and just my whole game in general helped my showing. I've been working hard recently, so it feels nice know that all my hard work is finally paying off."

His showing in the Honda Classic was worth a lot more than, well, $12,805, that's for sure. Last year, Fujikawa went two rounds and out, not only missing the cut but finishing dead last after 36 holes in shooting 14 over par. This year, he survived the cut with back-to-back 71s, birdieing the final two holes in the second round. Among those missing the cut? Paul Goydos, Jerry Kelly, John Huston and Brad Faxon, who all won the Sony/Hawaiian Open at Waialae.

This week, Corey Pavin, the next U.S. Ryder Cup team captain, and Paul Stankowski, two other Waialae winners, join Kelly and Huston in trying not to get shown up by the kid.

Good luck.

Fujikawa loves Puerto Rico and thinks he might have a little home-course advantage this week.

"Puerto Rico is actually very, very similar (to Hawai'i). The weather is almost the same, the people here are really nice," he said. "I mean, if I didn't know this is Puerto Rico, I'd say this is Hawai'i. It's almost like home, which should be a good feel this week. It should make me feel more comfortable."

After less than 48 hours, Fujikawa was sold on the place: "This is one of my favorite places I've been to so far." The Puerto Rico Visitors Bureau should sign him up.

If that's not enough, Juan "Chi Chi" Rodriguez, Puerto Rico's Mr. Golf, is also making Fujikawa feel right at home. He joined Rodriguez in a junior golf clinic for around 30 kids Tuesday and got to meet Chi Chi's wife, Iwalani, who's from Hawai'i. "Chi Chi was really nice, really funny. He cracked a lot of jokes. He told me, he's been following me recently," Fujikawa said.

The golf course is also to Fujikawa's liking. "It kind of reminds me of Turtle Bay, the Palmer Course. There's quite a bit of water and stuff. It's kind of windy here and the greens are really undulating. But I like the greens, the course, the layout and everything. I'm really looking forward to playing this week."

And, really, as many weeks as possible once he graduates from Moanalua High School. "I just want to get out there and play as much as I can," said Fujikawa, whose next scheduled event is the Chunichi Crowns in Nagoya at the end of April. The first, he hopes, of a number of sponsor's exemptions from the Japan Golf Tour Organization as well as from the European and the Nationwide tours.

Fujikawa is eligible for seven sponsor's exemptions on the PGA Tour, so he has five remaining, if anybody out there is listening. Fujikawa can get additional exemptions if he earns as much as the 150th player on last year's money list, which was $537,958, in the seven tournaments.

He can accept seven sponsor's exemptions on the European Tour as an affiliate member, six on the Japan Tour and an unspecified number on the Nationwide Tour, according to his agent Kevin Bell, who's trying to set up as many as he can.

Fujikawa, of course, would like nothing better than to earn his way in, as he did in the Sony Open. Knowing the talented teen, who's to say he can't or won't in the months to come. For now, though, he has certainly shown he's a worthy choice for a willing sponsor with an exemption to offer.