Biff!
Japanese teen heartthrob and wannabe PGA Tour member Ryo Ishikawa has been granted a special invitation – the second of his brief career – to this year’s Masters Tournament.
The decision, announced today by Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, was apparently taken in the interest of viewer demographics.
“Historically, the Masters has invited international players not otherwise qualified to expand the tournament’s global reach… Ryo Ishikawa is an accomplished player on the Japan Golf Tour, and we believe his presence will help increase interest not only in his home country, but also throughout Asia.”
A fair gesture in the direction of international balance, or a cynical nod to sponsorship-driven hype?
Conor Nagle
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This is basically all about the Augusta National Golf Club looking to make themselves money and continue their presence in Asia. Ryo hasn’t played well enough to get into the tournament, not because of lack of opportunity, and he doesn’t have some historic body of work to justify the exemption (unlike say Ernie, who is a hall of famer and has contended at the Masters).
Harris English hasn’t had the opportunity to compete for two years to help his OWGR. If his point total was divided by the number of events he’d played (14) he’d be 53rd in world, one behind Ryo. Matteo Mannasaro wasn’t invited last yr, despite fact if it wasn’t for min div he’d have been in top 50, he’d won on Euro tour, and was low Am at the Masters.
Amen Shoshana I can only think of what Chalie Sifford must be thinking.
As a fan of Ryo, I will admit that this maneuver is absolutely unfair. The first time he received a special invite was a nice gesture to a shockingly young talent, I guess, but this, now? So he’s Japanese and he’s sexy, so what? Qualify for the field or don’t.
Of course, this is the Masters Invitational; you and I have no more say in this matter than Martha Burk had in hers. The real question is why we continue to grant major status to an invitational. Because it’s a tradition unlike any other?
Thank goodness the folks posting here don’t run major companies, let alone networks. There wouldn’t be a Masters Tournament (at least not one anyone would care about) if it didn’t have viewership. Bobby Jones himself was a draw and never played the tournament to be competitive – he did it to draw attention to the event.
The one thing I guarantee: if any of the individuals writing these posts had their financial success tied to the viewership of the Masters (as all sponsors do), they’d be absolutely fine with the arrangement and encouraging it.
The boys at Augusta don’t care about money. They’re the ones who limit the commercials to 4 minutes an hour. I’m guessing this is a favor to the PGA Tour to keep Ishikawa interested in playing more in the states. Plus some of the Japan tour was canceled last year due to the tsunami hurting their players in the OWGR. Seems like a good idea to let one japanese player in.
Ryo, most over-rated player in golf.
Paul, triple bogey.
@Tascam. Right on, with the possible exception of Fowler, its isn’t even close.
Conor, thanks for carrying the load, I can see from Twitter @Steph is quite busy. (researching right?)
I understand the sentiment that the process should be pure as the driven snow, but look at the LPGA if you want to see what happens when you start losing sponsors.
You may think it is cynical, but the decision-makers answer to sponsors, not altruistic blog postings (even though I get your point).
One other point, and pardon the economics lesson, but Breaker, you have it wrong. The fact that there are only 4 minutes of commercial / hour says nothing whatsoever as to how much is charged for those 4 minutes. Restricting output only drives up price, and dollars to donuts the Masters advertising is probably the highest of any tournament.
If the Augusta National were really interested in maximizing revenues they wouldn’t limit commercials to 4 minutes per hour. Nor would they limit sponsors to 4.
Augusta National officials do not answer to sponsors, period.
Nobody forced or convinced Masters officials to extend Ryo an invite. They did this on their own, in the interests of promoting golf in Asia, not for the benefit of the Masters — just as they took the initiative to start and underwrite the Asian amateur. Sure, Ryo will get them a few extra eyeballs in Japan but there won’t be any incremental dollars that accrue to Augusta National because of it.
In 11 majors Ryo has only made 5 cuts and doesn’t have a single top-25. He just is not competitive.
As best I can tell Ryo has played 24 stroke play events in the US in since 2009.
He has a grand total of one single (1) top-10. And aside from that single top-10 he only has two other finishes in the top-30.
How does this guy keep getting picked for the Presidents Cup?
Um, TASCAM, the US isn’t the only place that counts. I think Ryo should be there (and the President’s Cup too prob), his world ranking is 53rd. That’s not some crazy hack we’re talking about here. Since just the last Masters, he has 8 top-5 finishes in the world. I realize everyone here discounts foreign golf tours, but that’s not too shabby, and his ranking is backing that up.
I recognize that Ryo is on the borderline here, esp. for the exclusive Masters, but I’m all for letting in a few more who are currently on the borderline. Especially over those with idiotic “historic” factors. Ryo deserves to be let in over, say, David Duval, no? There’s enough old farts teeing off at Augusta who have literally 0% chance of winning. I realize that nostalgia is part of the week, but I’m glad they let some borderlines in to get a shot.
I haven’t looked too close to see who else is borderline that didn’t get invited, but I’d be happy if they let a couple more in too.
Anyway it appears that you dolts can’t really complain about Rory never winning anymore, so you turn to Ryo. How old are all you people? The young sure make you defensive.
Top-5′s on the Japan Tour don’t count.
As for Rory, I saw something interesting on another board, so I can’t take credit for it. But in 1986 Bob Tway won a major, 3 other tour events, and was POY — same as Rory’s whole career!
I give credit to the powers that be at Augusta National for these types of moves. People claim they aren’t about maximizing revenue, which is true to a degree. I personally think their actions inside the American market have less to do with revenue and more to do with tradition. They enjoy being able to keep continuity (and complete control) by having CBS as their partner. They make things super easy on CBS financially in order to ensure that commercials and other things will be limited.
That being said, these guys are all incredible businessmen that understand global markets. They are able to do little things like extend an invitation to Ryo (when he doesn’t deserve one on merit) to appease their Japanese partners (who are no doubt paying significantly more to get in on the action due to their late arrival). If Ryo doesn’t belong he will miss the cut, if he contends he proves that they made the right decision.
If you don’t think that ANGC cares immensely about making money in Asia take a look at Tiger’s early round groupings over the last few years. It is no surprise that guys like KJ Choi have ended up in the same group as Tiger. These guys aren’t price gougers, but they are shrewd businessmen that care greatly about their “product” in more ways than just the bottom line.
For accuracy I checked myself and must admit that I overstated Tiger’s pairings with players from emerging golf markets over the years. He has been paired with Choi and Jeev Singh, but otherwise it has been fairly standard.
It is The Masters. Just the thought of it get me excited. Woot woot!
Oh BTW, don’t really care if Ryo is there or not.
Correcting TASCAM’s comment about Ryo not having a single Top-25 in the majors: He finished 20th in last year’s Masters.
He also has a 27th in the British, one 30th and another 33rd in the US Open, so your “Top 25″ statistic was deliberately chosen to make a point…
@Max If the Masters had chosen to give everyone from say 51-55 a special exemption, I would see your point. ANGC though clearly is trying to grow in Asia. They have given several special exemptions, but the last one to a non-Asian area player was Norman a decade ago.
If it was about growing the whole global game, they could also have invited Vegas (PGA tour winner and there’s currently only 1 player from S. America in the field) etc.
Look ANGC is a private club, but the Masters is an elite sports event. TV would be happy if the Knicks make the play-offs, but the NBA can’t give them an exemption in
Jay, if you look, and you don’t have to look too closely, I said “stoke play events”, not “majors”. Ryo has played in 24 “stroke play events” and has 1 top-10, and 2 other finished inside the top-30.
Got it?
kr1, I completely agree with your theory about The Masters and preserving tradition.
But could you expound further on this — “They are able to do little things like extend an invitation to Ryo (when he doesn’t deserve one on merit) to appease their Japanese partners (who are no doubt paying significantly more to get in on the action due to their late arrival)”.
Who are these partners? What action are they paying to get in on? How does this work?
But you are correct, he does have a top-25 in a major. I missed that 20th at The Masters.
Having said that, I don’t think that changes the point in any way, shape or form.
The guy has proven that he cannot compete and this invite in its’ sum total is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
Uh, the PGA Tour and The Masters are not charities. They are for-profit institutions. If having Ryo at the tourney makes them more money than inviting some other schlub, then Ryo be invited. That’s all Finchem, Payne and the group of weasels in charge of The Masters really care about.
Mac, you could not be more wrong…the PGA Tour is a non-profit organization. You can look their information up right here: http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/990finder/
Private for-profit organizations do not appear in that database.
You will not find Augusta National in there.
But 51-55 are probably all qualified? Like I said, I haven’t checked to see who is in the field exactly or not. Is Goosen in? He’s #52. Who is the best ranked player not in the field?
Vegas is currently ranked #128. Are you arguing that make him better qualified than Ryo? That’s a pretty disparate ranking. (Granted, I think his win should have got him in. C’mon Augusta.) Charley Hoffman is #108, he hasn’t won anything in awhile. Do you all put him over Ryo? If Augusta gave him an exemption would you be just as outraged?
Goosen is the only 51-55 not in the Masters yet. #44 Paul Lawrie isn’t in yet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Masters_Tournament
See, that proves my point.
So let’s pretend we’re Augusta: we can give exemptions to players. Let’s see, who are the top-ranked players who didn’t qualify? Lawrie, Goosen, Ryo. While I agree, they should give one to Lawrie and Goosen too, why is picking Ryo such a stretch, such a cause for your outrage? He’s right there at the top of the list. Who else to choose? Be real.
And oh wait, Vegas’ win got him in last year’s Masters. Scratch what I said about that. His world ranking isn’t good enough to make it this year, nor has he won anything recently. (Ryo hasn’t won lately either, but his ranking is good enough.) (See my point?)
Ryo is in contention this week, by the way. I’m sure you’ll all rip on it as a weak event or something, but once again, WUP commenters rip on someone as being vastly overrated, and then they go out the week later and win/contend. Your punditry is amazing.
TASCAM, why don’t you say something on RYO’s contention last week?
He is now in top50s, and came in 2nd in ‘stroke play’.
OK, I see. The field was not as strong. That is what you say?