Member News

June 16, 2006

Former Junior National Champion Qualifies for U.S. Open Golf Championships

As kids many top junior judo players imagine competing at the U.S. Open. 

In fact, three of last year’s medalists – Kayla Harrison, Veronica Prado and Daimisy Porras – were all under the age of 16, so success at the U.S. Open at a young age isn’t unheard of.

But that’s judo, not golf.

Tadd Fujikawa (Honolulu, Hawaii) was one of the best young judo players in the United States.  Growing up he won four junior national titles, most recently winning his division in 2002. 

Fujikawa’s grandfather, Danny, is the owner of the Salt Lake Judo Club in Honolulu – a dojo that continues to produce excellent athletes, including three junior national champions in 2005 – and the lightweight player was considered to have great future potential in the sport.

Then he decided to shift his focus from the mat to the golf course where the strength he had gained as a judo player transferred into a powerful golf swing.

At age 12, Fujikawa stopped competing in judo, but this week he may be one of the most watched athletes in the country as the 15-year-old competes at the U.S. Open Golf Championships at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, N.Y. 

Not only is qualifying for one of the most prestigious golf championships in the world impressive, at Fujikawa’s age it’s nearly unheard of as only player to compete in the U.S. Open at a younger age was Tyrell Garth who played the event as a 14-year-old in 1941.

On a day in which only one player went under par and even two-time Champion Tiger Woods struggled at six-over, Fujikawa made his U.S. Open debut Thursday with an 81. 

The teenager will continue play today as one of only nine amateurs in the field. 

Fujikawa tees off for his second round, and an attempt to make the cut for weekend play, at 2:42 p.m. EST.  He will play in the final group of the day, joining John Koskinen, a 26-year-old former Academic All-American and veteran of the Hooters’ Tour, and 33-year-old Stephen Woodard, a top-10 finisher on last year’s Canadian Tour.