TOKYO -- Ryo Ishikawa has simple goals. The 16-year-old
wants to get good grades, improve his distance off the tee and one
day win the Masters. Playing with Tiger Woods wouldn't be bad,
either.
Ishikawa, who last year became the youngest winner of a Japanese
men's tour event, announced Thursday he was turning pro and
immediately set high standards for himself.
"I want to play with Tiger Woods in the future and win the
Masters," he said at a news conference.
Ishikawa was an amateur in May when he won the Munsingwear Open
KSB Cup, making him the youngest winner of a Japanese men's event.
According to the Japan PGA, Ishikawa now is the youngest pro in
Japanese golf history.
Since winning the Munsingwear Open, Ishikawa has helped to
revitalize the Japan PGA, which has struggled against the recent
popularity of the women's tour and young stars such as Ai Miyazato,
Sakura Yokomine and Momoko Ueda.
Ishikawa said he was up to the challenge of balancing school
with the pro tour.
"I know it won't be easy and I know there will be days when I
don't want to do my homework," Ishikawa said. "But I'm determined
to keep up with my studies and do my best in golf."
Ishikawa's soft-spoken manner and good looks have earned him the
nickname "Shy Prince" in Japan, where huge crowds follow him
around at every tournament he plays.
At the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in November, defending champion
and British Open winner Padraig Harrington played in relative
obscurity while Ishikawa had a gallery that could rival only those
enjoyed by Woods.
After winning the Munsingwear Open, Ishikawa played in seven
domestic events with his best finish a tie for 15th place at the
Fuji Sankei Classic.
Ishikawa is aware that many Japanese golfers have excelled on
the domestic tour only to flop on the U.S. and European tours. Hall
of Fame golfer Isao Aoki has advised the young prodigy to play as
many tournaments as possible overseas and not get discouraged from
his losses.
"That's good advice," Ishikawa said. "Aoki-san told me you
learn more from your losses than your wins and I'll keep that in
mind."