Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, whose 113 worldwide victories are probably the most of any participant from Japan, died Wednesday in his house nation after a battle with colon most cancers, the Japan Golf Tour mentioned. He was 78.
Ozaki was revered in Japan, a giant hitter with a way of fashion who received 94 instances over 29 years on the Japan Golf Tour, the final one coming on the ANA Open when he was 55.
He rose to No. 5 on the planet rating in 1996 at age 49. Ozaki typically obtained missed for by no means profitable exterior Japan apart from the New Zealand PGA Championship. He was inducted into the World Golf Corridor of Fame in 2011.
“He’s an indispensable, one-of-a-kind determine in discussing males’s golf, each now and sooner or later,” the tour mentioned in a social media publish.
Ozaki competed in 49 majors, his greatest end coming within the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill when he completed three pictures behind Curtis Unusual. He performed the Masters for the nineteenth and ultimate time in 2000 when he was 53 and tied for twenty eighth.
Isao Aoki was the primary Japanese participant within the World Golf Corridor of Fame, and Hideki Matsuyama grew to become the primary to win a serious on the 2021 Masters. Each have been impressed in some style by Ozaki, the pioneer in a nation now obsessive about golf.
Ozaki received the Japan Open 5 instances and the Japan PGA Championship six instances. He led the Japan Golf Tour cash listing a report 12 instances, together with 5 in a row from 1994 via 1998. He received his ultimate cash title in 2002, when he was 55.
When he was inducted into the Corridor of Fame, Ozaki mentioned his one remorse was not taking part in extra exterior of Japan.
“However I devoted my life to Japanese golf and am extraordinarily grateful the voters thought I used to be worthy of this honor,” he mentioned upon his election. He acquired 50% of the vote on the Worldwide poll.
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Ozaki was regarded upon because the Arnold Palmer of golf in Japan together with his highly effective swing, charisma and sense of fashion, typically sporting silk shirts and dishevelled pants. And his ability was not restricted to simply golf. He performed the guitar and had three songs attain the pop charts in Japan, in line with the Corridor of Fame.
His old flame was baseball, and he spent three years pitching professionally earlier than turning to golf. That was evident when Ryo Ishikawa, who received his first Japan Golf Tour title at age 15, spoke of Ozaki’s affect. Ishikawa mentioned he would go to Ozaki about 10 instances a yr to get recommendation.
“Jumbo was once a baseball participant, so he at all times tried to show me the hyperlink from pitching or hitting to golf,” Ishikawa mentioned in 2010 interview with The Related Press. “Jumbo needed me to hit the ball far.”
Ozaki traveled with an entourage when he did play exterior Japan within the majors, normally renting a home and bringing a sushi chef so his folks would really feel at house.
He has two youthful brothers who additionally performed on tour, Naomichi (Joe) and Tateo (Jet).
Ozaki performed within the 1996 Presidents Cup, partnering with Vijay Singh to beat the American duo of Fred {Couples} and Davis Love III. He certified for the 1998 staff however determined towards the journey to Australia, and his brother Joe performed as a substitute.
