Nothing ‘bashful’ about Japanese golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa

LA JOLLA — The last time he was here, Ryo Ishikawa remembers being impressed with the competition around him. There was also pressure — lots of it.

That was at the Junior World Golf Championships back in the summer of 2007, when the Japanese teen sensation, at just 15 years old, had just became the youngest winner on the Japan Tour. The win catapulted him into super stardom in his home country.

Deemed by the Japanese media as the second coming of Tiger Woods, Ishikawa suddenly became the new face of the Japanese golf world. His galleries started drawing thousands, not hundreds, of fans. He received invitations from political officials for photo opportunities, including one from the prime minister. He became a rock star of epic proportions.

Ishikawa is back at Torrey Pines this week to play in the Farmers Insurance Open for the first time. And five years later, not much has changed in her terms of his stardom.

Having won nine times in Japan as a professional, competed on two Presidents Cup teams and being ranked No. 51 in the world, Ryo Ishikawa is still

via FIGUEROA: Nothing ‘bashful’ about Ishikawa.