Masashi Ozaki
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Masashi Ozaki (尾崎 将司 Ozaki Masashi?, born (尾崎 正司) January 24, 1947) is a Japanese golfer. Ozaki is often known as Jumbo Ozaki (ジャンボ尾崎 Janbo Ozaki) on account of his height and length off the tee. He featured in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for almost 200 weeks between 1989 and 1998.[1] He is the most successful player of all time on the Japan Golf Tour, having led the money list a record 12 times and won 94 tournaments, more than forty more than the second highest tally. He built "AON Age" with his rivals Isao Aoki and Tsuneyuki "Tommy" Nakajima.
Ozaki was born in Kaifu District, Tokushima. He was a professional baseball pitcher from 1965 to 1967, but he turned to professional golf at the age of 23 and won the Japan Pro Golf Championship the following year.
Ozaki led the Japan Golf Tour in earnings in 1973, 1974, 1977, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998.
Ozaki finished 8th at The Masters in 1973 and finished 6th at the U.S. Open in 1989. He competed at The Masters 18 times. He played occasionally on the PGA Tour from 1972 to 2000 (96 tournaments, never more than seven in one year). His best finish was a T-4 at the 1993 Memorial Tournament.
Ozaki's brothers Tateo "Jet" and Naomichi "Joe" are also professional golfers. Now in his late fifties, he still plays regularly on the Japan Golf Tour.
Ozaki played on the International Team in the 1996 Presidents Cup.
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[edit] Professional wins (113)
[edit] Japan Golf Tour wins (94)
- 1973 (5) Tohoku Classic, Kanto Pro Championship, ANA Sapporo Open, Tokai Classic, Taiheiyo Club Masters
- 1974 (6) Tohoku Classic, Japan PGA Championship, Suntory Open, ANA Sapporo Open, Japan Open Golf Championship, Nippon Series
- 1975 (1) Tohoku Classic
- 1976 (3) Kanto Open, Hiroshima Open, Sanpo Classic
- 1977 (4) Pepsi-Wilson Tournament, Kanto Open, Tokai Classic, Nippon Series
- 1978 (2) Pepsi-Wilson Tournament, Hiroshima Open
- 1980 (3) Dunlop International Open, Fujisankei Classic, Nippon Series
- 1982 (1) Kanto Open
- 1983 (1) Jun Classic
- 1984 (1) Hiroshima Open
- 1986 (4) Fujisankei Classic, Nikkei Cup, Maruman Open, Jun Classic
- 1987 (3) The Crowns, Fujisankei Classic, Jun Classic
- 1988 (6) Dunlop Open, Nikkei Cup, Maruman Open, Japan Open Golf Championship, Golf Digest Tournament, Bridgestone Open
- 1989 (7) Fujisankei Classic, Japan PGA Championship, Sendai Classic, Yonex Open Hiroshima, Japan PGA Match-Play Championship Unisys Cup, ANA Open, Japan Open Golf Championship
- 1990 (4) Fujisankei Classic, Yonex Open Hiroshima, Maruman Open, Daiwa KBC Augusta
- 1991 (2) Japan PGA Championship, Jun Classic
- 1992 (6) Dunlop Open, The Crowns, PGA Philanthropy Tournament, ANA Open, Japan Open Golf Championship, Taiheiyo Masters
- 1993 (3) Fujisankei Classic, Japan PGA Championship, Golf Digest Tournament
- 1994 (7) Dunlop Open, Yonex Open Hiroshima, ANA Open, Japan Open Golf Championship, Daiwa International, Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, Phoenix Tournament
- 1995 (5) The Crowns, Yonex Open Hiroshima, ANA Open, Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, Golf Nippon Series Hitachi Cup
- 1996 (8) The Crowns, Japan PGA Championship, Mitsubishi Galant Tournament, JCB Classic Sendai, Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta, Gene Sarazen Jun Classic, Dunlop Phoenix Tournament, Golf Nippon Series Hitachi Cup
- 1997 (5) Token Corporation Cup, The Crowns, Mitsubishi Galant Tournament, Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta, Bridgestone Open
- 1998 (3) Yonex Open Hiroshima, Hisamitsu-KBC Augusta, Philip Morris Championship
- 1999 (2) Token Corporation Cup, Yonex Open Hiroshima
- 2000 (1) Sun Chlorella Classic
- 2002 (1) ANA Open
[edit] International wins (1)
[edit] Other wins (18)
- 1971 (5) Japan PGA Championship, Nippon Series, Golf Digest Tournament, Nichibei Taiko (Japan vs US Team Match), Setouchi Series Hiroshima leg
- 1972 (9) Wizard, Sapporo Open, Kanto Open, All Nippon Doubles, Nippon Series, Grand Monaco, Fast Freight, Chiba Open, Asahi International
- 1976 (1) Chiba Open
- 1984 (1) Kanagawa Open
- 1985 (1) Kanagawa Open
- 1992 (1) Sanko Grand Summer Tournament
[edit] Team appearances
This list may be incomplete.
- Presidents Cup (International team): 1996
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Profile on the Japan Golf Tour's official site
- Profile on the PGA Tour's official site
- Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki's site - in Japanese
Preceded by Ichiro Suzuki |
Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize Winner 1996 |
Succeeded by Hidetoshi Nakata |