Ryuji Imada

JOINED TOUR

• Korn Ferry Tour: 2000
• PGA TOUR: 2005

PGA TOUR Victories (1)

• 2008 AT&T Classic

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (2)

• 2000 BUY.COM Virginia Beach Open
• 2004 BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (1-1)

• 2007 Lost to Zach Johnson, AT&T Classic
• 2008 Defeated Kenny Perry, AT&T Classic

KORN FERRY TOUR (1-0)

• 2004 Defeated Paul Gow, BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs

National Teams

• 2008, 2009 World Cup

Personal

• At age 7, tagged along with older brother Takafumi to golf course. At age 14, moved from native Japan with family to a Tampa, Fla., golf academy to compete on junior golf circuit.
• Instructor is Richard Abele, who was his legal guardian.
• Did not know any English at the time he moved to the United States.

Special Interests

Career Highlights

2014 Season

Failed to advance to the FedExCup Playoffs on the PGA TOUR for the fourth consecutive season. Ended the year No. 195 in the FedExCup. Made the cut in four of 11 Korn Ferry Tour events. Missed the cut in all four Korn Ferry Tour Finals' events in an unsuccessful attempt to regain exempt PGA TOUR status.

• WNB Golf Classic: T18 at the WNB Golf Classic the best of his two top-25 finishes.
• Sony Open in Hawaii: A T20 at the Sony Open in Hawaii was his lone top-25 finish.
• Casio World Open: After the Toshin Golf Tournament, played four more times in Japan, missing four consecutive cuts and finishing T28 in his final appearance in November.
• Toshin Golf Tournament in Central: In October 2014, recorded a T15 at the Toshin Golf Tournament on the Japan Golf tour, posting four rounds in the 60s.

2013 Season

Made two of seven cuts on the PGA TOUR. Did not have a top-25 finish for the first season since joining the TOUR in 2005. Made four cuts in 10 Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a top-10.

• Stadion Classic at UGA: Finished T8 at the rain-shortened Stadion Classic at UGA, his first Korn Ferry Tour top-10 since 2004.
• Casio World Open: In early December 2013, shot a final-round 68 to T7 at the Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour.

2012 Season

Made 12 cuts in 28 starts, recording one top-10 finish.

• True South Classic: First top-10 since a T3 at the 2011 FedEx St. Jude Classic came in July at the True South Classic. Four sub-par rounds (66-71-67-69), his first of the season, earned him a T10 with Hunter Hamrick and defending True South Classic champion Chris Kirk.

2011 Season

At No. 90, finished inside the top 100 in the FedExCup standings for the fifth consecutive season.

• FedEx St. Jude Classic: Posted a T3 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, on the strength of a final-round 66 to finish 8-under. Collected first top 10 in Memphis in his fourth-career start.
• HP Byron Nelson Championship: Finished T3 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship for his best TOUR performance since he won the 2008 AT&T Classic outside Atlanta in a playoff. Held a two-shot lead on the back nine Sunday but bogeyed No. 15, then three-putted the par-3 17th hole for bogey. He followed that with a final bogey at the par-4 18th, where his approach found the front bunker. Failed to get up and down, missing his par putt from 20 feet, 3 inches to end up one stroke shy of a Keegan Bradley-Ryan Palmer playoff.

2010 Season

After failing to record a top 10 in 2009, bounced back with four top 10s a year later.

• Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: Used a second-round, 9-under 62 to jump into contention at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Finished T8, three strokes out of a three-way playoff. Recorded back-to-back, top-10 finishes for the first time since 2008 (Northern Trust Open and PODS Championship). His 36-hole total of 130 at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is two shots better than his previous best on TOUR.
• Frys.com Open: Opened with a 6-under 65 at the Frys.com Open en route to T6.
• Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard: Finished T7 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Opened with a 73, but battled back on the weekend with rounds of 69-70 for second top-10 of the season.
• Farmers Insurance Open: At the Farmers Insurance Open, shared the second-round lead and held the outright third-round lead by two strokes after opening 65-68-70. Final-round 75 dropped him to a T9 finish.
• Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo: Came up short in his attempt to win his first Japan Golf Tour title, settling for a T3 at the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters in mid-November. He finished four strokes behind winner Ryo Ishikawa.

2009 Season

Finished 118th on the money list, but failed to record a top-10 finish for the first time in his PGA TOUR career. Recorded seven top-25 finishes.

• OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup: Represented Japan in the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup in November, teaming with Hiroyuki Fujita.
• the Memorial Tournament: Best finish of the season was T14 at the Memorial Tournament.
• Masters Tournament: Was T20 in his first start at the Masters Tournament.

2008 Season

Had the best year of his career, with his first victory, two runner-up finishes and approximately $3 million in earnings. Finished 25th in the FedExCup standings.

• Deutsche Bank Championship: Competed in all four FedExCup Playoffs events with his best finish a T13 at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
• AT&T Classic: Beat Kenny Perry in a playoff at the AT&T Classic after losing the same Atlanta tournament to Zach Johnson a year prior on the first playoff hole. Finished regulation at 15-under 273 to force a playoff. On the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Perry's second shot bounced off a tree behind the green and into a pond guarding the front of the green. Imada, who had driven into the rough, played it safe by laying up with an iron and wound up two-putting for the winning par as Perry made bogey.
• PODS Championship: Also closed with a 68 at the PODS Championship to finish runner-up by two strokes to Sean O'Hair.
• Northern Trust Open: Recorded his next top-five finish with a T5 at the Northern Trust Open, closing with a 68. Top-five finish came after two previous missed cuts and a T65 in 2007 at Riviera CC.
• Buick Invitational: Recorded second runner-up finish of his career, placing eight strokes behind Tiger Woods at the Buick Invitational in January. Final-round 67 tied for low round of the day.

2007 Season

Had a runner-up finish and more than $1.4 million in earnings to finish 65th on the money list.

• AT&T Classic: Former University of Georgia star finished second to Zach Johnson at the AT&T Classic. Converted up-and-down birdie from behind the 72nd green to force a playoff, finishing at 15-under par. Shared the 36- and 54-hole leads with Troy Matteson. Tee shot on first extra hole went into first cut of rough, and 225-yard second shot to par-5 18th hole found the water hazard fronting the green. Johnson converted a two-putt birdie to clinch the victory. Earned $583,000 in second consecutive top-10 at TPC Sugarloaf.

2006 Season

In second season on TOUR, posted 10 top-25s, including one top-10, and finished in the top 100 for the first time.

• Booz Allen Classic: Matched career-low round with a 64 during the second round of the Booz Allen Classic.
• BellSouth Classic: Finished T10 at the BellSouth Classic with four rounds at par or better for only top-10 of season.

2005 Season

Finished 121st on TOUR money list in his rookie season.

• Booz Allen Classic: With rounds of 66-67 on the weekend, finished fifth at Booz Allen Classic for first career top-10.

2004 Season

Earned initial TOUR card for 2005 by finishing third on Korn Ferry Tour money list. Member of that circuit for past five years and finished in the top 40 on money list four times. Had his best season and was one of five players on Tour to surpass the $300,000 plateau with $313,185. Had a career-high seven top-10s. Finished inside top five five times. Led the Tour in Scrambling and finished fourth in Scoring Average.

• BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs: Had his second career victory at the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs. Birdied the fifth playoff hole to defeat Paul Gow.

2003 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season No. 37 on the money list, with $127,861.

• Northeast Pennsylvania Classic: Had a season-best third place finish at the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic.

2002 Season

Had a down season, finishing 105th on the Korn Ferry Tour money list after making the cut in eight of 20 tournaments.

2001 Season

Had two Korn Ferry Tour runner-up finishes.

• BUY.COM Greater Cleveland Open: Held a three-stroke lead heading into the final round of the Greater Cleveland Open but managed just an even-par 72 and wound up second, one stroke behind Heath Slocum.
• BUY.COM Carolina Classic: Posted a tournament-record 64 in the second round of the Carolina Classic and fired final-round 69 to finish two strokes behind John Maginnes.

2000 Season

Enjoyed solid rookie season on the Korn Ferry Tour, making the cut in 12 of 25 events.

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament: Final-round 76 at the 2000 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament left him three strokes short of earning his TOUR card.
• BUY.COM Virginia Beach Open: Shared second-round lead with Mike Heinen and David Berganio, Jr. at the Virginia Beach Open and trailed Todd Demsey by one after 54 holes. Defeated Demsey by five strokes to become first rookie winner of season.

Amateur Highlights

• Left University of Georgia after his sophomore season.
• First-team All-SEC as a freshman in 1998 and sophomore in 1999.
• Helped lead the Bulldogs to their first national championship and finished runner-up to Luke Donald in the individual competition in 1999 when he was a first-team All-American. Won first collegiate title at Williams Intercollegiate in 1999. Had seven top-
• Appeared as high as second in Golfweek/Titleist Men's Amateur Rankings.
• Reached match-play stage of 1998 U.S. Amateur but lost in first round.
• Won six tournaments on major amateur circuit–1995 Porter Cup, 1996 Azalea Amateur, Dixie Amateur and Lakewood Invitational, 1997 Palatka Azalea Amateur and Southeastern Invitational. Finalist at 1997 U.S. Public Links.
• Excelled on junior level by twice being named to the AJGA All-American first team. 1995 Rolex Junior Player of the Year.