Ryo ready to stay in Japan
Ryo Ishikawa claims he has no plans to quit Japan's golf tour after becoming the youngest-ever Order of Merit champion.
Last Updated: 14/12/09 2:55pm
Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa claims he has no plans to quit his country's golf tour after becoming the youngest-ever Order of Merit champion.
The 18-year-old claimed four victories on Japan's JGTO in 2009 as well as making his debut at The Masters and the Open Championship.
However, while he has emerged as arguably Asia's hottest golfing talent, Ishikawa insists he is not yet thinking of moving overseas to compete for the riches on offer on either the European of PGA Tours.
"Topping the Order of Merit was a dream I couldn't dare imagine before the season started," he explained. "It's an honour to be ranked alongside some of the game's greats.
"My goal now is to make the cut at the Masters.
"It's a lifelong dream of mine to actually win the Masters but I honestly do not know if I can commit to playing full-time overseas."
Ishikawa's triumph at 18 was three years sooner than Tiger Woods first managed to top the PGA Tour money-list at 21 and also before Seve Ballesteros who was 19 when he won his first European Tour money-list crown.
"I don't think about my age when I'm playing golf at all," he continued. "I don't feel it's a factor. I'm not competing against my age."
Experience
Ishikawa feels his experiences at The Masters and the Open Championship earlier in the year have developed his game, despite the fact he failed to make the cut at either.
"I played in some very tough settings," he added. "The British Open and PGA Championship in particular.
"I played in some difficult conditions and learned some painful lessons about how golf doesn't always go the way you plan.
"That experience helped. On the Japan tour when things weren't going well I was better equipped to deal with it and was able to turn things around."
Ishikawa also insists that Tiger Woods still sets the standard for him despite the world number one's current off-course troubles.
"It was great to play with him (at the Open Championship) and see the way he tees his ball up and hits shots. It's had a big impact on my game for sure," he concluded.
