Farewell to the legendary Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki

Masashi Ozaki, considered by many to be Japan’s greatest golfer ever, has died from a disease he fought bravely against. He was 78 years old. Nicknamed “Jumbo” for his great power from the tee, Ozaki began with baseball but soon switched to golf, turning professional at age 23 and winning the Japan PGA Championship as early as the following season.

It was the beginning of an extraordinary career: Ozaki captured a record 94 wins on the Japan Golf Tour and finished 12 times at the top of the circuit’s money list, the last even at age 51. He never managed to win in the United States, but participated in 19 Masters Tournaments (with an eighth-place tie in 1973) and 13 U.S. Opens (best result a sixth-place tie in 1989). In 1996 he represented the International team at the Presidents Cup.

In 1996, at age 49, he reached fifth place in the Official World Golf Ranking. He closed his career with 114 total victories, all in Japan with the exception of a New Zealand Championship won in the 1970s, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. He and Isao Aoki are the only men of Japanese descent currently in the Hall of Fame.

“I am very happy, deeply honored and grateful to all the people who have supported me since I turned professional in 1970 – Ozaki recounted at the time of the award ceremony -. My only regret is not having played more abroad, but I have dedicated my life to Japanese golf and I am extremely grateful for this recognition.”