“;Welcome to the workin' week.
Oh I know it don't thrill you, I hope it don't kill you.
Welcome to the workin' week.”;

— Elvis Costello

This is a job where you have to do more than just show up to get paid. If Tadd Fujikawa didn't know that going in, he's learned it the hard way.

And golf isn't always fun, even when you're Tadd and you're working for the weekend.

The other kids from Moanalua High School yesterday enjoyed the Hawaii equivalent of a “;snow day.”; School's out, brah.

But when you've got a job, you go to work. Rain or shine.

Tadd played a grueling game of chicken with the cutline all afternoon at wet, windy Waialae. He stared down the course, the weather and many of the world's best golfers with 15 pars, including 13 in a row. He made the one mistake allowed (due to a wet clubface) and recovered nicely.

This was the work of a professional.

He was in good company. Ernie Els and Paul Azinger had to do similar things, churning out pars like widgets to guarantee a payday come Sunday.

Is grinding it out enjoyable?

“;Not really,”; Fujikawa said. “;I don't think it is for anybody. But you have to do it.

“;It wasn't too nice out there. Not a great day for golf, honestly.”;

Until that birdie on the last hole for 69 on the day, this was not the flamboyant, electric Fujikawa we'd seen in the past. But this was better, validation that he did not make a bad choice by turning pro at 16.

The “;young”; Tadd's game was like going to an amusement park. Plenty of ups and downs, and it might be the time of your life, or you might get cotton candy in your hair and someone might throw up on your feet—or all of the above. You might see a double-eagle and a double-bogey in the same round from this unique kid, a 5-foot-1 teenager with ridiculous talent and passion for the game and a bubbly yet respectful personality.

This was the Tadd of two years ago—the kid who made the cut here as an amateur, when it was all about play, not pay.

Questions. How quickly could he learn to rein in his emotions and his game when necessary? Could he go for greens instead of pins?

“;That's what we've been trying to work a lot on,”; said Tadd's mom, Lori. “;He's always been an aggressive player. That's been his biggest improvement, hanging in there and grinding.”;

Lori said Tadd's caddy, Shukil Ahmed, has helped teach him patience.

Don't get me wrong, this working stiff Mr. Fujikawa is by no means boring. Even during yesterday's blue-collar round, Tadd managed an occasional putter twirl, a seemingly random smile or laugh. No one from the day's second largest gallery (Els' was the biggest) was asking for a refund.

And I'm certain he hasn't lost his hunger for the pins and his joy for the game.

Today and tomorrow he can let loose and take a few chances. The grind is over, for now.

Tadd Fujikawa is still 5-foot-1, but even more of a golfer to look up to than two years ago.

And tomorrow is payday.