
Ishikawa will stay big in Japan
18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa will not join any foreign Tours and intends to stay with the Japan Golf Tour.
This was after he became the youngest-ever Order of Merit champion.
The Japanese sensation dominated the winner's circle in his country with four victories on Japan's JGTO in 2009. He also made memorable debuts at The Masters and the Open Championship.
Following his successes, there has been talk of Ishikawa moving to overseas Tours which are more lucrative. 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."
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.
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