Fujita will be honored at Manoa Cup

Before Michelle Wie golfed with "Uncle Kevin" Hayashi at the Sony Open in Hawaii, there was "Desperate Del-Marc" Fujita at the 94th Manoa Cup 12 years ago.

The owner of Hawaii’s Bridgestone Golf Distributorship, who played for USC and was one of the state’s best amateurs, skidded into overtime against the then-12-year-old Wie.

Fujita would ultimately win it with a 10-foot par putt on the second extra hole at Oahu Country Club, saving grace and face simultaneously. On his bag was father Art, a Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer and the 1964 Manoa Cup champ.

"I was probably squeezing more for him to not lose than I was when I won," Art said. "He would have never heard the end of it from his friends. Cyrus Okino was walking with us and he would get a call every hole asking ‘How is Del doing, how is Del doing?’ After he won, he had 30-something calls on his cell phone.

"You don’t want to lose to a lady, but Michelle was a different kind of competitor. She’s showing that now, finally realizing her potential."

When this year’s 106th Manoa Cup ends Saturday, the champion will be pitched in OCC’s pool, but only after the tournament honors Art Fujita for a lifetime of great golf and even greater contributions off the course.

Fujita won two All-Europe Championships and two more Maui Opens. He represented Hawaii in 10 national Public Links Championships, finishing second in 1969 in Erie, Pa. He also helped bring the national event to Wailua Municipal, his home course on Kauai, in 1975, 1985 and 1996, serving as general chair twice. He has been the USGA’s Kauai representative since 1986.

Seven golfers from Kauai have won the Manoa Cup. Fujita was the first, at age 31, defeating Charlie Makaiwa — another future Hall of Famer — 7 and 5. Fujita remembers nothing about how he won, and everything about the sweet swing of Makaiwa, who was going for his fifth amateur match-play championship.

"I’ve thought about that match maybe five or six times since I won," Fujita said. "The thing I remember best is what a gentleman Charlie was. He didn’t say very much, but watching him play was like watching a musical. His swing was simple, he owned that swing. I haven’t seen anybody with a swing as sweet as Charlie’s. If you ask people who know and go back to the days Charlie used to play, that guy was rhythm in motion."

Fujita had been to the final before, losing "badly" to six-time champion Ken Miyaoka, who was honored by tournament organizers three years ago.

"I learned from that loss," Fujita said. "Being a golfer, sometimes in losing you learn more than by winning.

"Manoa Cup was a victory that has a special place in my life, having golfed over 70 years now. I love playing OCC, it’s a short course and I’m not a long-ball hitter. You’ve got to have a pretty good short game and be able to putt. which I probably did."

Part of Fujita’s passion for match play comes from his belief that "I’m not a good four-day player." He appreciates the format’s innate quirkiness, which is magnified immensely by OCC’s unique "attributes" and the Manoa Cup’s legendary status in Hawaii.

"In medal play you’ve got to be at the top of your game for four days," Fujita said. "In match play you get penalized for making an eight, but you only lose one hole. In medal play, a big number affects you tremendously over four days.

"I love match play, it’s one-on-one and there are a lot of surprises sometimes. A guy can be way off the beaten path and the next thing you know he stones it right next to the hole and you’re like, ‘Whoa, wait a minute.’ I remember playing with Allan Yamamoto and he’d do that all the time. Match play is a different kind of game. I love it. It’s one-on-one and your opponent is right there. You don’t have to worry about the rest of the field."