Fujikawa continues dream week with leap into contention

HONOLULU, Jan 14 (Reuters) Hawaiian teenager Tadd Fujikawa added another chapter to his fairytale week at the Sony Open by vaulting into contention in the third round.

One day after becoming the second-youngest player to make a PGA Tour cut, Fujikawa fired a four-under-par 66 to climb into a four-way tie for eighth place yesterday.

The diminutive 16-year-old amateur, eight strokes off the pace overnight, rattled up six birdies and two bogeys to finish on seven-under 203 at a breezy Waialae Country Club.

Urged on by the biggest galleries of the day, Fujikawa recovered from an early stumble with six birdies in 10 holes to raise hopes of ending a dream week in the top 10.

''For any 16-year-old at a PGA Tour event, a top 10 would be unbelievable,'' the Moanalua High School student told reporters after finishing six strokes behind pacesetting American Charles Howell III.

''That would be great, even though I didn't have a particular goal in mind starting out.'' The five-foot, one-inch Fujikawa, who became the second-youngest qualifier in U.S. Open history last year at Winged Foot, made an inauspicious start with a bogey at the second where he found a greenside bunker with his approach.

But he hit back immediately by sinking a 13-footer for birdie at the third and picked up further shots on five, six and nine to reach the turn in three-under 32.

MONSTER PUTT Further birdies followed at the par-three 11th, where he holed a monster putt from 48 feet, and at the par-four 12th, where he conjured a magical nine-iron approach from behind palm trees, before he ran up a three-putt bogey at the 16th.

Despite hitting a poor tee shot at the last after missing the fairway short to the left, he managed to salvage a par-five to stay at seven under.

''Today I was a lot more comfortable than yesterday, probably because I don't have anything to lose right now,'' said Fujikawa, who eagled the final hole on Friday to make the cut by three strokes.

''I'm not playing for money, this isn't my job. I already made the cut and I just wanted to go out there, have fun, do the best that I can and hopefully shoot some low numbers.

''Everything was just kind of flowing,'' the solidly-built Hawaiian added.

''Having this many people out here watching and supporting you really hypes you up and gets you going.

''I think that really played a big part in all of my birdies today. It's the biggest crowd I've ever seen in my life.'' The only cloud on Fujikawa's horizon is the prospect of returning to school on Tuesday.

''I hope my teachers are nice to me,'' he said with a broad smile. ''I hope they are not mad. I don't know how much work I'm going to have to get caught up on but I'm sure it's quite a bit.'' REUTERS PDS RK1650