Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, Japan’s most prolific golfer with a record 113 victories worldwide, died Wednesday in his home country following a battle with colon cancer, the Japan Golf Tour announced. He was 78.
A towering figure in Japanese golf, Ozaki was celebrated for his power off the tee and unmistakable style. He won 94 titles over a remarkable 29-year career on the Japan Golf Tour, with his final victory coming at the 2002 ANA Open at age 55.
Ozaki reached a career-high world ranking of No. 5 in 1996, when he was 49.
Despite often being overlooked internationally for recording only one win outside Japan – the New Zealand PGA Championship – his impact on the game was unquestioned. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
“He is an indispensable, one-of-a-kind figure in discussing men’s golf, both now and in the future,” the tour said in a social media post.
Ozaki competed in 49 majors, with his best finish coming at the 1989 U.S. Open at Oak Hill, where he finished three shots behind Curtis Strange.
He played the Masters for the 19th and final time in 2000, when he was 53, and tied for 28th.
Isao Aoki was the first Japanese player inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and Hideki Matsuyama became the first to win a major, capturing the 2021 Masters. Both were inspired in some fashion by Ozaki, a pioneer in a nation now obsessed with golf.
Ozaki won the Japan Open five times and the Japan PGA Championship six times.
He led the Japan Golf Tour money list a record 12 times, including five in a row from 1994 through 1998.
He captured his final money title in 2002, at age 55.
When he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Ozaki said his one regret was not playing more outside Japan.
“But I dedicated my life to Japanese golf and am extremely grateful the voters thought I was worthy of this honor,” he said upon his election. He received 50 percent of the vote on the international ballot.
Ozaki was often compared to Arnold Palmer in Japan for his powerful swing, charisma and sense of style, frequently wearing silk shirts and baggy pants.
His talents extended beyond golf. He played the guitar, and three of his songs reached Japan’s pop charts, according to the Hall of Fame.
His first love was baseball, and he spent three years pitching professionally before turning to golf.
That background was evident to Ryo Ishikawa, who won his first Japan Golf Tour title at age 15 and often spoke of Ozaki’s influence. Ishikawa said he visited Ozaki about 10 times a year for advice.
“Jumbo used to be a baseball player, so he always tried to teach me the link from pitching or hitting to golf,” Ishikawa said in a 2010 interview with The Associated Press. “Jumbo wanted me to hit the ball far.”
Ozaki traveled with an entourage when he competed outside Japan in major championships, often renting a house and bringing a sushi chef so his group would feel at home.
He is survived by two younger brothers who also played professionally, Naomichi (Joe) and Tateo (Jet).
Ozaki played in the 1996 Presidents Cup, partnering with Vijay Singh to defeat the American duo of Fred Couples and Davis Love III. He qualified for the 1998 team but declined the trip to Australia, and his brother Joe played in his place.
