Ryo Ishikawa was born in Saitama, 400 kilometers from the areas hit the hardest by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
He is currently competing the PGA Tour, but the 19-year-old cannot not simply ignore the tragedy that occurred in his country.
For a game that demands mental toughness, Ishikawa is bothered by the sufferings of his countrymen who have to contend with the possibility of a nuclear meltdown and recurring aftershocks even as he has to continue campaigning in the PGA Tour, saying in reports only that he will do his best, with them in mind.
The Panasonic-backed Ishikawa started playing golf at the age of six when his father took him to the driving range. He turned professional in 2008 to become Japan’s youngest professional golfer.
He held the distinction of being officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the only player to achieve the lowest number of strokes—an amazing 58–on the final day of a tournament.
Successful on the Japan Golf Tour, Ishikawa earned invitations to play in The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and PGA Championship.
He is gearing up for the April 7 to 10 Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia in the hope of winning and putting a big smile on the strained faces of his suffering countrymen. [MPB]
