Legendary Japanese golfer Masashi ‘Jumbo’ Ozaki has died at 78. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
Masashi ‘Jumbo’ Ozaki passed away on Tuesday at the age of 78 due to colon cancer. Ozaki won a record 94 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), including five Japan Opens and six Japan PGA Championships. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. His only victory outside Japan was the 1972 New Zealand PGA Championship.
The Most Successful Golfer in JGTO History
No golfer in Japanese golf history was as successful and dominant as Ozaki. With 94 tournament wins, he leads the second-placed Isao Aoki by 43 wins and won the Order of Merit on the Japanese golf tour twelve times, another record. His success in Japan earned him a total of 200 weeks in the top 10 of the world rankings and he was a key figure in popularizing golf in Japan. Although his success outside Japan was limited, he also had notable international performances, finishing in the top 10 at the Masters in 1973, the US Open in 1989, and the Open Championship in 1979.
A Unique Life On and Off the Golf Course
Ozaki earned the nickname ‘Jumbo’ due to his stature of 1.81 meters and 90 kilograms, but most notably for his powerful drives. His ‘all or nothing’ playing style thrilled crowds in Japan, making him one of the most recognizable public figures in his home country.
His path to golf was remarkable. Originally a promising baseball talent, he won the Japanese championship with his school team and played professionally for three years. He switched to golf at age 23 and won his first JGTO event at 26 in 1973. He went on to win his last Japanese tour title 29 years later at age 55.
Leveraging his popularity in Japan, he launched a music career in the late 1980s, releasing three singles that all charted in Japan.