By Alastair Himmer
TOKYO, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Japanese schoolboy sensation Ryo Ishikawa was stunned to have become the youngest player ever to be invited to play at the U.S. Masters.
The 17-year-old, already one of Japan’s biggest sporting celebrities, will become the second youngest player to compete at the Masters when he makes his major debut on April 9 at Augusta.
“It still hasn’t sunk in,” Ishikawa told Japanese media on Saturday. “It’s always been my dream to play at the Masters and on the PGA Tour.”
Ishikawa said he had been watching television when the call came from Augusta National offering him a special invitation for this year’s tournament.
“I was sitting in the living room watching TV and mum answered the phone,” he said. “At first I didn’t understand the English but I caught the words ‘invite you’ and ‘Masters’.
“It was a pleasant surprise. I was so nervous I just hung up with a blank look on my face.”
Ishikawa, who helped Asia beat Europe to claim the Royal Trophy earlier this month, will be 17 years six months and 23 days when the opening major of the season starts.
American Tommy Jacobs, who qualified for his first Masters as an amateur in 1952, was 17 years one month and 21 days.
“When I think about playing at Augusta it makes me feel numb,” said Ishikawa, who is ranked 60th in the world, the second highest Japanese player behind number 34 Shingo Katayama.
“It would be rude for someone like me to speculate about where I would finish at the Masters. I’m not on the same level as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson but I would like to meet them.”
Ishikawa added: “I don’t to think too much about it. I just want to play well. If just one person says ‘Nice shot!’ or remembers my name I’ll be happy.”
Ishikawa, widely seen as the saviour of the flagging JGTO men’s tour, is poised to make his U.S. PGA Tour debut in next month’s Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club.
He shot to fame in May 2007 when he became the youngest winner on the Japanese tour at 15 years eight months.
Ishikawa won his first tournament as a professional in November at the ABC Championship after joining the paid ranks at the start of 2008.
Last year he also became the youngest player to win 100 million yen ($1.11 million) in a single season on the Japanese tour.
(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
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