Calm Ishikawa ready to put up stout defence at Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters

Decorated JGTO star Ryo Ishikawa is ready to put up a strong title defence befitting of his status as one of the Tour’s most accomplished players when he returns to the tee for the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters, which gets underway at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course on Thursday.
 
Just 12 months ago, Ishikawa captured his 20^th JGTO title when he lifted the Taiheiyo Masters trophy, and he will be aiming for another grandstand finish this week. He has enjoyed a consistent season so far, with four top-10 finishes, including a runner-up showing at the ANA Open in September.
 
At 34, Ishikawa continues to be the darling of Japanese golf fans – just as he was at 15 when he burst onto the scene by becoming the youngest winner in JGTO history in 2007, earning the nickname “Bashful Prince” for his charm, good looks, and youthful exuberance.
 
Returning to a course that has been central to his career success, Ishikawa said he feels a sense of calm rather than heightened pressure ahead of his title defence.
 
“The course conditions are as wonderful as always — really beautiful,” said Ishikawa after Wednesday’s pro-am. “The greens are fast. Balls with good spin will stop quickly, but those without spin can be hard to hold. It’s a great test.”
 
While Ishikawa’s swing has looked sharp in recent weeks, he remains measured in assessing his form.
 
“I don’t really know if I can say my form is improving, but I think there aren’t any major ups and downs,” he said. “My overall condition has been good for a while. Since around summer, I’ve been able to connect that to better approaches and recovery shots, which are crucial parts of my game.”
 
He added that his short game has been a key foundation of his consistency.
 
“When my long game wavers, my short game needs to support me. I try to keep both at a high standard. I can’t expect perfection every day, but I’m aiming to hit 80-point shots as often as I can,” he explained.
 
As he bids for back-to-back victories and a record fifth title, Ishikawa is focused on maintaining control over his game rather than being swept up by expectations.
 
“You can’t just get a good result by being overly motivated,” he said. “All I can do is focus on what kind of golf I want to play over four days. It’s about controlling myself — my decisions, my strategies, and my mindset. That’s what I’ll be focusing on this week.”
 
Ishikawa will tee off alongside Rintaro Nakano and Tatsunori Shogenji at 0940 (local time).

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