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I'm a sports nut so I've been watching the Masters for the last few days. I know a lot of Kossacks aren't golf fans, but I hope you'll read this diary anyway because it's not really about sports, it's about character and caring and, most of all, wisdom.
Ryo Ishikawa is just 19 years old. He also happens to be one of the best golfers in the world today, currently ranked No. 45 with a bullet. He set a world record--yes, a world record--last year at age 18 when he shot a stunning 58 in the final round of a tournament in his native Japan. He is playing in the Masters this weekend and you should be rooting for him.
Photo courtesy news.ladbrokes.com
Ishikawa is idolized in his homeland, where he is known as "The Bashful Prince." As Damon Hack, senior writer at Sports Illustrated, said in a recent NPR interview,
He is like a rock star there.
At 15, Ishikawa won a Japan Tour event as an amateur. Like many athletes, his "game face" contrasts with his shy demeanor. Says Hack,
On the course, he does wear loud colors. He's got a kind of spiky haircut, and he'll put the shades on and wear bright yellows and reds. But off the course, he is very docile and sweet.
Photo courtesy John Raoux/AP
But that's not why you should root for him. Shane Bacon at Yahoo Sports explains,
There are people that step up during crisis situations, and people that step up, and for victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, they can look at young Ryo Ishikawa to be leading the latter group.
Ishikawa, just 19 years old and a Japanese professional golfer, announced on Wednesday that he will be donating all of his 2011 prize money to victims of Photo courtesy technorati.com
the natural disaster that devastated
Japan on March 11. That means that Ishikawa will probably be donating over $1 million, a number people estimate Ryo will win if he has a solid second full season on the PGA Tour, especially since a season ago he earned 151 million yen ($1.8 million) on the Japan Tour alone to go along with his $149,180 in the states.
Boldface added.
And Tom Edrington of the Bleacher Report notes,
If that's not enough, he's going to give an additional $1,200 for each birdie he makes this season. He made about 340 last year, so that will be a sizable amount [$408,000].
(snip)
Ryo Ishikawa "gets it" better than perhaps any athlete on the planet.
Quoted in the Daily Mail, Ishikawa said,
I have enough money to spend for golf. I still have savings. I believe this is the most positive way for me to spend money.
I feel like I will be playing with a greater purpose this year.
Photo courtesy newstabulous.com
As Edrington says,
How's that for profoundness in a teenager?
This kid is no kid at all: He's a caring, concerned man and is putting his money where his heart is.
Bacon observes that
It also says a lot about who Ishikawa is. Just 19, he always seemed way ahead of his years. He wasn't intimidated the first time he was paired with Tiger Woods in a huge event, and even beat him. ...
You have to stand back and applaud a kid with this much charity under his sleeve. If you aren't openly rooting for Ishikawa to play well at Augusta, I don't know what to tell you.
Photo courtesy seetell.jp
Me, either.
NOTE: After three of four rounds of play at the Masters, Ishikawa trails leader Rory McIlroy by 11 strokes. Ishikawa is currently tied for 30th, which would earn about $54,400 for the disaster victims. If he has a great final 18 holes on Sunday, he could earn $104,000 or more by finishing 20th or higher. BTW, he's made nine birdies so far. That's another $10,800 he's donating. Let's hope he makes lots of birdies tomorrow.
Donate at the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Fund.
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Thanks to tonight's Top Comments contributors. Let us hear from you when you find that eagle amongst the pars.
TOP COMMENTS
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