A Hawaiian teenager made history by making a PGA Tour cut on Friday -- but it wasn't Michelle Wie.
The diminutive Tadd Fujikawa fired a four-under 66 on Friday at the Sony Open to become the youngest in five decades and also the second youngest player in history to make a cut on the PGA Tour at age 16 years, four days.
"I can't even breathe right now," said Fujikawa. "Making the cut is awesome for me. This is the greatest feeling in the world. I wish everybody could feel what I am feeling right now."
PHOTO: AP
Fujikawa, who delighted the home Hawaiian crowd down the stretch, finished with a flourish with an eagle on 18.
Fujikawa's 36-hole total of three-under 137 was two shots better than the cut at even par. He is tied for 24th with 10 others.
"I love making everybody crazy," said Fujikawa, who turned 16 on Monday. "I was just out here doing my best and if it worked out great."
"I was just trying to stay in moment. I am playing great right now and my game is really solid,:" he added.
Bob Panasik was the youngest player to make a cut, accomplishing the feat at the age of 15 years, eight months and 20 days at the Canadian Open in 1957.
Fujikawa needed to play the last three holes in even par to make cut and he closed in three-under par.
He just missed a birdie on the 17th and on 18 his approach rolled onto green before he sank a 12-foot eagle putt to get into the weekend action.
It was a dramatic end to a day when Paul Goydos (63) and Luke Donald (66) took the lead at 11-under 129, two strokes clear of Chad Campbell.
"The first 12 holes were a mixture of some good shots, but a lot of scrappy shots as well," Donald said. "I hit a nice drive on 13 and that got my confidence back a bit."
Wie, 17, failed in her bid to make the cut and finished near last. She shot a six-over 76 Friday to go with another disappointing 78 in the first round.
Wie, who played with a bandage on her right wrist, hit just one of 14 fairways in first round.
Afterwards Wie said she is going to take a break from golf.
"It is time to put the clubs away after this," she said. "I might go on vacation. I can only go up from here."
She finished at 14-over 154, the fourth consecutive time she has been overmatched against the men.
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