Apr
6

He’s A Player

Feb. 18, 2009
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

Ryo Ishikawa, the teenage phenom from Japan, makes his PGA TOUR debut this week at the Northern Trust Open — the first of at least three starts he’ll make in the U.S. before playing in the Masters in April.

The 17-year-old pro also received sponsors’ exemptions for the Transitions Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational. Depending on his world ranking — Ishikawa is currently 67th — he could also earn entry into the World Golf Championships-CA Championship in two weeks.

Ryo is something of a cult figure in Japan, but American fans are just being introduced to him. So PGATOUR.COM put together 18 things you need to know about the talented young pro.

MORE ON ISHIKAWA: How do you say his name? | 17-year-old readies for TOUR debut | Ishikawa receives Masters invitation

He’s so polite and poised, his nickname is “Hanikami Ohji,” which means the “Bashful Prince” in Japanese.
His father Katsumi is a banker and an avid golfer. Ryo started playing the game when he was 7, and his father is his primary teacher. Ryo’s younger brother and sister also play golf.
When he turned pro at the age of 16 years, 3 months and 24 days, Ryo told the media that his dream is to be the youngest Masters champion. He’ll have several years to eclipse his idol, Tiger Woods, who got his first of four Green Jackets in 1997 at the age of 21 years, 3 months. Ishikawa will be 17 years, 6 months and 23 days old when he drives down Magnolia Lane for the first time — only amateur Tommy Jacobs was younger by a little over three months when he played in the 1952 Masters.
Last month, Ryo opened his own private practice range, located about five minutes from his home in the Saitama prefecture, a Tokyo suburb. The facility will eventually have four greens seeded with the same strain of bentgrass that’s found at Augusta National Golf Club. The sand in the bunkers was chosen because it’s similar to the sand at Augusta National, too.
His favorite foods are tonkotsu, a pork and noodle soup, and pork cutlet.
In addition to golf, Ryo also plays futsal, a form of indoor soccer played on a hard court using a smaller ball with less bounce than a regular one.
Among Ryo’s sponsors are Panasonic, Toyota and a electronic device that promotes speed-learning of the English language. He has used Yonex clubs since he began playing and now has a contract to use their driver, fairway woods and irons. His wedges are Titleist, and his putter is an Odyssey White Hot No. 5. He currently does not have a ball contract.
In his spare time, like most teenagers, Ryo enjoys shopping and listening to music.
Yonex reportedly spent more than $1 million developing the driver that he uses. According to Reuters, Ryo said last month that “the ball feels lighter somehow. It’s a strange feeling. I’ve never hit it so far. I can have a real go at driving 350 yards now.” Ishikawa averaged just over 290 yards last year and ranked seventh on the Japan Tour.
The 5-foot-7, 150-pound teen also skis to help stay in shape.
Last year, Ryo won more than 100 million yen ($1.1 million) — the youngest to eclipse that milestone on the Japan Tour.
His idol may be Tiger Woods, but Ryo also likes Ian Poulter’s style and used to have a headcover with the face of the flamboyant Brit. The two played together during the first two rounds of the 2007 Dunlop Phoenix.
This won’t be Ryo’s first trip to the United States. He finished 23rd at the Junior World Championship in San Diego in 2007.
He became the youngest to win on the Japan Tour in May 2007 when he shot 69-66 to capture the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup at the age of 15 years, 8 months. He was an amateur and playing in his first Japan Tour event. That’s nearly five years younger than the previous record-holder, Seve Ballesteros, who won the 1977 Japan Open at the age of 20 years, 7 months.
His first victory as a pro came at last year’s mynavi ABC Championship. According to news reports, Ryo said his hands shook so much on the 18th hole, where he had to scramble for a water-logged par, that he found it “like a scene from a ‘manga’ comic story.”
There is a giant ice sculpture of Ryo’s head — complete with golf cap — at the Sapporo Snow Festival being held this month Suskino.
Published reports have the high school senior earning in excess of $10 million in endorsements.
Ryo, who won the 2008 Prime Minister’s prize, has a lot on his slender shoulders. He’s widely regarded as the player who will revive interest in the Japan Tour, and he commands Tiger-like attention at home.
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