Made just two PGA TOUR starts, his fewest since 1996. In his first start, rounds of 65-65 led to a share of the 36-hole lead at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Finished 70-69 to finish T7 for his fourth top-10 finish at the Sony Open and his best TOUR performance since finishing in the same position at the 2007 Wyndham Championship.

2010: Made one of four cuts on TOUR, but did not record a top-25 finish for the first time since 1995.

Only made cut resulted in a T28 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. 2009: Made just five starts, fewest since 1996 (2).

Lone top 10 was T10 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. 2008: Did not post a top 10 for first time since 1998. 2007: Finished T2 at the Ginn sur Mer Classic for fourth career runner-up. 2006: Finished third at the B.C. Open. 2005: Finished 32nd on the money list on the strength of five top-10s, but no wins for second consecutive season.

Led Sony Open in Hawaii at the 36- and 54-hole marks but stumbled on final day with 1-over-par 71 to finish T3, two behind champion Vijay Singh. Posted ace on fourth hole in third round with a 4-iron from 202 yards.

Second ace of season, the fifth of his TOUR career, came in second round at John Deere Classic, holing out with a 7-iron from 173 yards on No. 3. 2005: The 2003 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro champion closed with a 5-under 67 and finished runner-up to K.J. Choi. 2004: Was five back of lead going into the final round of Nissan Open. Fired a closing-round 67 to finish one back of 54-hole leader Mike Weir. Missed a 12-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to finish second.

Posted career-best finish in a major with a T4 at the U.S. Open. Shared first-and second-round leads. 2003: Despite being plagued by nagging neck injury during the early season, finished 37th on money list in 2003 for third time in four years on the strength of win at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

Recorded a hole-in-one for the third straight season when he aced the eighth hole with a 6-iron from 177 yards during the first round of the MasterCard Colonial.

One of only five players to collect a win in each of the last three seasons (Tiger Woods, Justin Leonard, Jim Furyk and Retief Goosen) with his win in Greensboro. Became the third player in tournament history to finish the event at 20-under-par or better with his final score of 22-under-par 266. Held second- and third-round leads on way to victory. With $810,000 paycheck, became the first player in TOUR history to surpass $1 million in first four seasons. 2002: Turned in best finish on money list to that point in three-year career, along with most earnings.

Won the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic and became the first Asian with multiple PGA TOUR victories.

Closed with a 2-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over rookie Ben Crane.

Posted the first ace of the 2002 U.S. Open, using an 8-iron from 154 yards on No. 14 at Bethpage Black.

T5 at British Open. Tied for lead with eventual champion Ernie Els and three others after 36 holes at 6-under-par 136.

Withdrew from World Golf Championships-American Express Championship due to shoulder injury and played one more event, his first TOUR Championship, where he finished T13.

Teamed with Toshi Izawa to win the World Cup. Team rebounded from double bogey to birdie 17th hole and par 18th to beat U.S. team by two strokes. 2001: Finished in the top 40 on PGA TOUR money list in his first two years as a member and captured his first win at the Greater Milwaukee Open. Defeated Charles Howell III with birdie-4 on first playoff hole. Victory made him first Japanese player to win PGA TOUR event on U.S. mainland (Isao Aoki captured 1983 Hawaiian Open). 2000: Became first Japanese player to top $1 million in one TOUR season.

Had three top-5s included among seven top-10s, his best a T2 with Tiger Woods at Buick Invitational, four strokes behind Phil Mickelson.

High point of year likely came during qualifying for U.S. Open. Shot 13-under 58 (11 birdies and one eagle) at Woodmont CC in Rockville, MD, during first round. Second round was 74, giving him total of 132 and second place at qualifier to medalist David Berganio, Jr.'s 130.

Earned spot on International Presidents Cup team and finished with a 1-2-0 record. 1999: Earned his 2000 PGA TOUR membership by virtue of his strong play in the 1999 World Golf Championships: 1999 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship (T5) and 1999 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational (sixth).

In October, won the 1999 Bridgestone Open on the Japan Golf Tour for the third time (first two came in 1995-96). 1998: First came to attention of golf world when he was surprise star of Presidents Cup with a 5-0 record.

Known for his ever-present smile on the golf course with a nickname as the "Smilin' Assassin.".

First shot even-par at age 11.

Early in career, made regular appearances on Japanese TV variety show called "Yume-ga-MoriMori" (Lots of Dreams).