Tadd Fujikawa and Michelle Wie shared common youthful dreams: escaping the grim, hopeless prison of the Hawaiian Islands for a brighter future in pro golf. Wie’s path - after a promising start - has been rocky, which is more than Fuji can say so far.
16-year-old munchkin Fujikawa made his first PGA Tour appearance as a professional this week at the Reno-Tahoe Open. He shot an opening 6-over - which is worse than it sounds given how easy the course was playing and considering the Tour’s better golfers are duking it out with Tiger at Firestone - not with Dicky Pride in Reno.
Fujikawa is 4th from the bottom entering Round 2. I watched a little of his round on TV last night coming in and out of a post-dinner nap - and he looked hyperactive. The only thing mature about him was his fuzzy little chin ’stash. It’s all cute when you’re an amateur playing in front of home crowds, but not when you’re playing against grown men old enough to remember the Clinton Administration.
Michelle Wie on the other hand…is revealing it’s her noggin - not her wrist that’s the problem these days - posting a second round 80 at the Women’s British Open and missing the cut.
On the leaderboard, Lorena Ochoa still leads, currently fending off Wendy Ward, Annika Sorenstam and Scotswoman Catriona Matthew.
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While I will never defend Wie, her dysfunctional breakdown stems mostly from not being able to live her own path. Between mom and dad and her sponsors, what choice does she have until she's 18? Not much.
Tadd can overcome one showing. At least I think he can. He's got talent and I am sure will find some form of guidance out there as he grinds through it. If tennis stars can do this at 16, golfers can too. I am not condoning it, but, let's not compare these two in scenario.
I say, Wie is done and gone before 25. Tadd will make it someplace; perhaps on the Nationwide to get started.
Yeah, I'd have to say it's different in at least one way - one example is playing golf, while the other is working in a coal mine!
Aside from that, if Fujikawa can handle stinking up the joint for a few years, he should emerge from this and be Ok, I think. Unlike Wie, he doesn't have millions in deals and people aren't putting pressure on him to be the next "greatest golfer ever."
I do think that in the end, he'll find that college would have been a much better way to spend his time.
As for Wie - yikes. I am no fortune teller and don't know what things will look like in a decade, but her golf - the thing she's getting all the money for - has been painfully putrid all year. Honestly, I'd advise two years off and go to college. But Nike has dangly earrings to sell or whatever, so who knows what will happen.
--WKW
Wolf, I am not sure how much a young kid can improve when faced with pro pressure week-in, week-out.
I envision a decent Nationwide career with a few PGA appearances. That's just my gut right now. Nothing worth skipping college for, that's for sure.
It is my understanding that Tadd is an only child and that both his parents are gainfully employed.
The Dickensian scenario as with the coal mine would hardly apply to Tadd's situation.
Tadd may struggle for quite some time I'm afraid. The good thing for him is he ain't as cute as Michelle so he won't have to deal with the over marketing thing.
Also remember that if he doesn't achieve success, it will be because of the five inch fairway between his ears, NOT his 5' 2" frame (don't forget about Ian Woosnam).
I noticed on yesterday's article that putt4par posted that Bubbles had not broken any etiqueete rules of golf. If he visits today, I wanted to remind him of all the articles that have complained about her stepping through others' lines, being rude, etc.
As a Bubbles fan (formerly), I tried to excuse her actions as inexperience and immaturity. Sorry, she's a brat. After her no-88 WD, I quit making excuses and jumped off the bandwagon.
If there are "all those articles " out there, then you should have no problem posting your sources and the urls for the evidence. If you can't, then don't bother trying to start something.
Otherwise, go bug someone else.
Absolutley hilarious how they can wrap themselves up in righteous indignation that she isn't cursed, thrown out of all competitions etc, etc, ad nauseum.
What they never mention is why they would rail at Michelles 80 but fail to mention that in round one of the Ricoh Womens open there were 22 players that posted 80 or higher. Round 2 there were 18 that posted 80 or higher and round 3 there were 26 players to post 80 or higher.
Oh yeah, I forgot, these players have all proven that they can win so now they can prove that they can post ridiculous scores. Why that makes any difference is mind boggling, but then the whole rant against Michelle is so blood stupid to begin with.
Unless you are Alex, his bots and the troll brigade.
Do you see anything significant in the fact that you and you alone are the only poster so far on this blog to bring up the name and spirit of Bubbles?
The sensible people are talking about Tadd.
Watch out for M. Tourette.
Obviously you don't have any real reading comprehension either.
Go back to your knitting, old woman.
Before you do, go read JR's post then do us all a favor, go to bed. and STFU.