U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR
Hawaii boys ousted in U.S. match play
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. » Honolulu's Tadd Fujikawa's run at the U.S. Junior Amateur ended yesterday with a 3-and-2 loss to Andrew Putnam of University Place, Wash., in a third-round match at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club.
Fujikawa began the day with a 1-up second-round victory over Tyler Ichikawa of Los Altos, Calif., in the morning session and briefly led his third-round match with Putnam.
But Putnam took the lead for good on the fifth hole and steadily built a commanding lead before clinching the win on the 16th hole.
Sean Maekawa of Paauilo was also eliminated, losing to Drew Kittleson of Scottsdale, Ariz., 4 and 3 in the second round.
Hawaii-born Arnond Vongvanij of Bradenton, Fla., the medalist in stroke play, was also eliminated yesterday, losing to 15-year-old Danny Lee of New Zealand in the second round.
Defending champion Kevin Tway won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals.
Tway, the 17-year-old son of PGA Tour winner Bob Tway, beat Christopher Deforest of Cottekill, N.Y., 3 and 1 in the second round and edged Canada's Jean-Philippe Paiement 3 and 2 in the third round.
Tway, from Edmond, Okla., will face 16-year-old Wesley Graham of Port Orange, Fla., in the quarterfinals. Graham beat Kittleson 1 up.
In the other upper-bracket quarterfinal, Danny Lee will play Richard Lee of Chandler, Ariz. Danny Lee beat Robbie Ziegler of Canby, Ore., 1-up, and Richard Lee edged Cody Gribble of Dallas 3 and 2.
"On the first nine, I was putting really well," Danny Lee said. "I can't believe I got here. It was only because of my putting."
Sihwan Kim, the 2004 winner, advanced in the lower bracket with two 3-and-2 wins. The 17-year-old Kim, from Buena Park, Calif., beat Bo Hoag of Columbus, Ohio, in the second round and John Douglas Archibald of Simi Valley, Calif., in the third.
"I think it's a survivor test," Kim said. "Whoever has better physical condition will win this because you will hit better shots. When someone is tired they are not going to get the same swing."
In his third-round match, Fujikawa went 1 up with a birdie on No. 2 only to see Putnam answer with a birdie on the par-3 third hole. Another birdie on No. 5 put Putnam ahead and he extended the lead to 4 up by winning three straight holes (Nos. 7-9).
Fujikawa cut into the deficit with an eagle on No. 11 and was down two holes when he birdied No. 14. But Putnam came back to birdie the 15th and both players settled for bogey on No. 16, sealing the win for Putnam.