Japan’s most successful professional golfer, Masashi ‘Jumbo’ Ozaki, has died at the age of 78, leaving a remarkable legacy in the sport.
Career Achievements and Legacy
Ozaki won 94 tournaments on the Japan Tour and topped the nation’s order of merit 12 times. He spent nearly 200 weeks in the top 10 of golf’s world rankings and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
According to the World Golf Hall of Fame, “While golf has long been popular in Japan, it was Ozaki who brought a new vitality to the game and his emergence spawned an unprecedented growth in the game in the country.”
From Baseball to Golf
Before taking up golf, Ozaki was a professional baseball player. He claimed his first tournament victory in 1973 at the age of 26 and won his last at 55. He also finished in the top 10 at The Open, Masters, and US Open.
Life Beyond the Course
Ozaki explored other interests, including singing, charting three singles in Japan in the late 1980s. He famously travelled with a sushi chef to feel more at home when competing internationally.
Battling Illness
Ozaki had been diagnosed with colon cancer about a year ago. According to the Japan Golf Tour Organisation, his son Tomoharu announced his passing, with chairman Yutaka Morohoshi adding, “The golf world has lost a truly great man. He long steered the men’s professional golf world and overwhelmed others with his unparalleled strength.”
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