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Tadd Fujikawa Turning Professiona Even Against the Advice of Friends
I think professional golfers, at least the ones from Hawaii, are getting into the act earlier. It will be interesting to see how Tadd fares against the big boys week in and week out. He seemed to hit it a long way, but then he was very familiar with the course making it more comfortable to take a big rip. Plus there is no rough in Hawaii, so you can be offline and still get away with it.
You can’t blame him with his charisma and how advertisers are probably standing in line to sign him up to significant paydays. It is not unlike what kids get for playing major league baseball or pro basketball. There is no difference. Sponsors line up for potential. Sometimes potential is all there is to sell, but the return when potential turns into greatness is incredible. Good luck Tadd.
“Tadd Fujikawa, the youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Open and second-youngest to make a cut on the PGA Tour in the last 50 years, has turned professional.
He will make his debut in three weeks at the Reno-Tahoe Open.
Fujikawa, 16, was scheduled to announce his intentions at 9:30 this morning at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, where he stole the show – and the spotlight, from Michelle Wie – at the Sony Open in January with his tie for 20th.
Last night, Fujikawa called his friend Kimberly Kim to deliver the news.
“I was like, ‘You should play college golf. These guys are stronger than you, they’re bigger than you, they hit it longer than you and it’s more competitve,’ ” said Kim, winner of last year’s U.S Women’s Amateur. “I don’t think he realizes how good (pro golfers) are. And they’re doing it every week. It’s their job. We just do it for fun right now.
“I asked him how much they were paying him (to turn pro). He said, ‘A lot.,’ ” Kim said. “I think it’s too early and he’s making a mistake, but he’s making a lot of money.”
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