Ryo Ishikawa makes it into the US Open
Japan’s golf ace, Ryo Ishikawa pulled in a runner-up finish at just the right time to barge into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) last week to reserve a place at the US Open and is hoping high for the event.
Ishikawa managed to soar to the 49th spot few weeks back when he posted a runner-up finish at the Totoumi Hamamatsu Open, thus confirming his participation in the coveted event at the Congressional Country Club. He slumped to 51st position
with his sloppy hitting at the later events on Japan Golf Tour and is now resting at 53rd position. Fortunately for Ishikawa, the JGTO has minimum PGA Tour points which kept him from falling further down.
The 19-year-old Ishikawa has a childhood dream of winning the Masters before the age of 21 and he went as close as 20th place at this year’s event after missing the cut earlier at two stages. Although young and buoyant, Ishikawa realizes the odds
of winning the title at the Congressional next week where the field will be packed with the top ranking golfers from across the world.
“I know too well how big the gap is between the top rankers and myself in skills. I am really thrilled about being able to take part,” said Ishikawa, who finished tied in 33rd place at last year’s US Open. “At the same time, I wonder how badly I may be beaten
up on my return. This year’s US Open will be the first step or the second step on my way to win the title some day. I want to play by aiming high so I can come home with the knowledge of what I need to win.”
His recent performance at the Japan Golf Tour Championship, one of the local majors on the tour, though, speaks otherwise. He finished at the bottom of the leaderboard after carding first round score of 12-under, 83, and stunned the audience in his home
country. His consecutive early exits have been a rarity in his career profile and happened only once during his first professional year in 2008. A year later, he bounced back to win the KSB Cup, becoming the youngest player to do so at the age of 15 years
and eight months.
Ishikawa also spoke of his recent mistakes in the local events and said that he was caught up in the vicious circle of trying hard to putt and ending up going over par. The young golfer remains hopeful of posting another stunning performance in the second
major of the season.
Ishikawa’s sponsorship and endorsement deals surged to $10 million and he open-heartedly donated all his Masters earnings to the victims of the March 11 earthquake disaster in Japan. He had also extensively toured the calamity hit areas to help in the relief
efforts.
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