StarBulletin.com

PGA rookie Borchert gets caught up in Tadd-mania


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POSTED: Sunday, January 18, 2009

On more than one occasion, Matthew Borchert was the subject of a “;poor guy”; comment from a member of the gallery yesterday at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

               

     

 

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HOLE OF THE DAY: TADD FUJIKAWA, NO. 11

        Tadd Fujikawa hit his 4-iron just over the green at the par-3 11th. His ball came to rest against the leg of a spectator's chair. When the spectator moved the chair, the ball rolled into the depression left in the grass. After asking for a ruling, Fujikawa was allowed to place the ball. His chip from the rough from about 33 feet then rolled into the cup for his third straight birdie. Twice during his round, Fujikawa managed three birdies in a row, but this one kept his momentum going into a stretch of tough holes on the back side.
       

       

Playing in his first tour event, there were times Borchert was seemingly swallowed up by a gallery that grew exponentially as Tadd Fujikawa tore around Waialae Country Club on his way to a 62.

Although fans began hustling to the next hole while Borchert was lining up a putt several times, he had no complaints after playing in front of the largest crowd of his career.

“;It's pretty cool—even if they're rooting for the other guy you're kind of pumped that people are out watching you,”; Borchert said.

Borchert and Fujikawa teed off with a healthy gathering about two-deep ringing the first tee box. By the time they reached No. 18, the atmosphere rivaled a Sunday afternoon.

“;I knew it was coming when I saw the pairings,”; Borchert said. “;It was a pleasure to play with Tadd. Man, what a player, nothing but good things about that guy.”;

Borchert is one of 10 rookies who had never played in a tour event prior to this week. He shot 67 on Friday to make the cut at and finished with a 3-over 73 yesterday. His lone birdie came on No. 16, raising his arms to the sky when he finally got a putt to fall.

“;Yesterday I thought I did good just to make the cut,”; Borchert said. “;I got out here today hoping I could keep riding it, but it didn't work out.”;

 

McNeill still alive

Third-year tour pro George McNeill fired a 5-under 65 yesterday to finish the third round tied with Fujikawa, Boo Weekley and Charles Howell III at 8-under 202. His round included six birdies and a bogey.

The 33-year-old from Naples, Fla., said he's just happy to be healthy and playing after a scare last year in which doctors threw around the word “;cancer”; before he was deemed healthy.

“;Obviously, that's something you don't want to hear,”; he said.

McNeill has steadily improved this week after opening 69 and 68 in the first two rounds. He tied for 13th here in 2007 and 17th last year.

“;I came out here for my first tour event (after winning the Q-School tournament) and loved it,”; he said. “;The wind, the bermuda. It's like back home.”;

 

Inside the numbers

Tour rookie Casey Wittenberg shot a nice 2-under 68 to enter today's final round tied for 50th, but don't let that score fool you—Wittenberg had an adventurous round that included the first ace of the year at the par-3 fourth.

Using a 4-iron from 201 yards out, Wittenberg followed that up with a more traditional eagle at the par-5 ninth. He also carded two bogeys, but no birdies.

He wasn't the only golfer to manage two eagles in his round. Bill Haas carded a pair at Nos. 9 and 18, as did Cameron Beckman. Haas is tied for 13th at 6 under and Beckman is tied for 17th at 5 under for the tournament.

 
 

THIRD-ROUND SCORES

At Honolulu
Purse: $5.4 million, par-70

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Zach Johnson69-65-66200
David Toms70-66-65201
Shigeki Maruyama65-68-68201
Brian Gay66-67-68201
Nathan Green66-66-69201
Tadd Fujikawa71-69-62202
George McNeill69-68-65202
Boo Weekley66-69-67202
Charles Howell III67-68-67202
Kevin Na72-65-66203
Adam Scott71-66-66203
Geoff Ogilvy66-69-68203
Bill Haas68-71-65204
D.J. Trahan71-67-66204
Jeff Klauk69-69-66204
Webb Simpson66-68-70204
Harrison Frazar69-70-66205
Sean O'Hair71-68-66205
Cameron Beckman72-66-67205
Steve Stricker70-68-67205
Brian Davis69-68-68205
Wil Collins69-67-69205
Luke Donald67-70-68205
Briny Baird69-67-69205
Steve Marino68-67-70205
Chez Reavie70-70-66206
Brendon Todd69-71-66206
Kevin Streelman70-69-67206
Kenny Perry69-69-68206
Tim Wilkinson68-70-68206
Tommy Gainey71-70-66207
Ryuji Imada71-70-66207
Bob Estes72-67-68207
Jimmy Walker73-66-68207
Tim Herron68-71-68207
Troy Matteson71-67-69207
Cliff Kresge69-69-69207
K.J. Choi68-69-70207
David Mathis68-68-71207
Tom Pernice, Jr.69-63-75207
Michael Letzig69-70-69208
Scott Piercy67-72-69208
Jerry Kelly67-72-69208
Rory Sabbatini68-70-70208
Marc Leishman72-66-70208
Greg Owen71-67-70208
Ted Purdy69-69-70208
Chris Stroud67-70-71208
Stewart Cink71-65-72208
Casey Wittenberg71-70-68209
Ernie Els72-69-68209
Tim Clark71-70-68209
Steve Lowery71-68-70209
Jarrod Lyle70-69-70209
Matt Bettencourt73-68-69210
Arron Oberholser68-73-69210
Richard S. Johnson70-71-69210
Spencer Levin71-69-70210
Michael Allen72-68-70210
Glen Day70-68-72210
Hideto Tanihara72-65-73210
Azuma Yano71-70-70211
Alex Cejka72-69-70211
Joe Durant73-68-70211
Bart Bryant71-69-71211
Scott Sterling71-69-71211
Jeff Overton71-69-71211
Paul Azinger68-73-71212
Andres Romero73-68-71212
Tim Petrovic69-72-71212
Arjun Atwal69-71-72212
John Merrick70-70-72212
Tag Ridings71-69-72212
Troy Kelly71-66-75212
Jeff Quinney71-70-72213
Matthew Borchert73-67-73213
Junpei Takayama71-69-74214
D.A. Points68-73-74215