Ishikawa to make two starts during West Coast Swing

text size

Halleran/Getty Images

Ryo Ishikawa's best finish on the PGA TOUR in 2009 came at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, where he tied for 17th.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Japan's Ryo Ishikawa will return to competition in the United States during the PGA TOUR's West Coast swing, his first appearance for U.S.-based fans since October's Presidents Cup, where the 18-year-old Japanese phenom posted the best performance by a rookie on the International Team since 2003 (3-2-0).

Ishikawa will make his second appearance at the Northern Trust Open, February 1-7, site of his PGA TOUR debut last year, and will play the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Feb. 8-14) for the first time. He gained entry into both events by receiving a Commissioner's Foreign Exemption, the same method by which he was granted a spot in the field at last year's Northern Trust Open.

The 18-year-old also announced his intentions to play the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship (Feb. 15-21) should he remain in the top 64 in the Official World Golf Ranking when the field closes on Feb. 8, which shouldn't be a problem as he currently ranks No. 30. Ishikawa was on site last year at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, as the No. 67 ranked player in the world and third alternate, but did not make it into the field.

Ishikawa also received a sponsor's exemption for the Transitions Championship, which will be played at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Fla., March 15-21. He will be making his second straight appearance in the event.

One of golf's brightest young stars, Ishikawa played six official PGA TOUR events in 2009, including the Masters Tournament, The Open Championship and PGA Championship. After missing the cut in his first start at the Northern Trust Open, Ishikawa qualified for the weekend and finished 71st in his next event at the Transitions Championship. He carded his best finish of the season, a T56, at the PGA Championship in August.

"I look forward to returning to the United States and competing against the world's best on the PGA TOUR next month," said Ishikawa. "I enjoyed my experience at the Northern Trust Open in 2009 and am excited about playing the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for the first time, as well as experiencing the match-play format in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship."

One of Greg Norman's two Captains Picks for The Presidents Cup 2009, Ishikawa produced a 3-2 record, including a 2 and 1 victory over Kenny Perry in the Sunday singles matches. He became the youngest player to compete in The Presidents Cup and the first Japanese player since Shigeki Maruyama in 2000.

The highest-ranked Japanese player in the Official World Golf Ranking, Ishikawa will make his second-career appearance in a World Golf Championships event at the Accenture Match Play Championship. He played the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, the newest of the World Golf Championships,last November in Shanghai, China, finishing T17. Ishikawa would also become the youngest player to ever compete in the Accenture Match Play Championship at 18 years, 5 months, clipping Rory McIlroy, who competed last year at the age of 19 years, 9 months.

Ishikawa led the Japan Golf Tour's order of merit in 2009, posting four victories and 10 top 10s in 22 starts. He has won six-career events in Japan and is the youngest player to ever win on the Japan Golf Tour, claiming the 2007 Munsingwear Open KSB as an amateur at the age of 15 years, 8 months.