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TRANSITIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 17, 2009

Ryo Ishikawa

PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA

MARK WILLIAMS: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome Ryo Ishikawa to the media center here at the Transitions Championship.
First we'd like to invite Ryo to make a statement before we get underway. Welcome.
RYO ISHIKAWA: Hello again, and happy St. Patrick's Day.
First, thanks to Transitions Championship and to come back to America. The last two weeks I miss American hamburgers. (Laughter).
I have a real story about this event. In January, I attended a press conference about this event in Tokyo to announce my participation. But 20 hours before the press conference, I got a call from the Masters, so the most questions and answer questioners were about the Masters. However, Transitions kindly let me talk without any restrictions, so I would like to express my sincere thank-you to Transitions Championship.
So I played a practice round on the Copperhead Course. The condition is great and actually very tough. The course beat me, but I'm sure I can learn a lot from the course, and it will help me with my game.
Lastly, the hamburgers of this clubhouse is delicious. (Laughter) thank you.
MARK WILLIAMS: Can we start by asking you since we saw you at Northern Trust a few weeks ago, you went back to Japan and back to school, and in the last two or three days being in Tampa, what have you been doing? Have you been to the IMG Academy maybe, playing tennis?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I had to take an exam right after the Accenture Match Play, so I needed to study.
A arrived in Florida last Thursday and I practiced this course every single day since then. I stayed at the IMG Academy and I enjoyed playing tennis there, and also, practicing some golf on the range.

Q. Can you talk about all of the attention you've received, how much pressure do you feel to perform well in America?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Regarding playing golf, I just need to focus on my game, that's all. So I never feel any pressure playing golf.
But in the PGA TOUR events, at the Northern Trust Open, I was kind of invited to this official press conference, which makes me very, very nervous.

Q. Is it hard not to think about getting to play in the Masters? How excited are you about getting invited to play in the Masters?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Firstly, before I received the actual invitation, I got a phone call from Augusta.
After that, I received the invitation. The invitation was not Todd so big, about this size (indicating small), but it feels very heavy, the invitation.
I have been watching the Masters since I was in school, and the broadcasts of the Masters in Japan start at like 4:00, 4:30, which is very early, but I woke up every morning and watched the program before I went to school.
So I'm happy about this, but it feels kind of strange for me to play the Masters, because the Masters was only a TV thing for me.

Q. Your nickname is the Bashful Prince. Do you like your nickname? Would you rather be called Tiger or lefty? Do you like your nickname?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I don't dislike to be called the Bashful Prince. But I wonder if they really think I am the Prince. It is kind of uncomfortable to be called Prince.
But the good thing is, American people remember myself, to be called the Bashful Prince.

Q. How have the American fans been? How have they treated you?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Last time I enjoyed playing and being cheered by lots of American fans, and very happy that they cheered every single hole.
In the past, Ryuji Imada was mistaken by K.J. Choi, and so I want to -- probably American people have not memorized the name of Ryo Ishikawa yet. So I hope the American people recognize my game as Ryo Ishikawa.

Q. What are your golf heroes growing up? Was it Jumbo? Is it Tiger now?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Tiger Woods. Tiger. (Laughter)
Q. What do you like on your hamburgers? Cheese? Ketchup? Lettuce? Tomatoes? What we got? (Laughter).
RYO ISHIKAWA: Firstly, the size, big. (Laughter) I am getting hungry.

Q. Are you going to watch the Japan/Korea baseball game tonight?
RYO ISHIKAWA: Probably I will. And the other day, I watched Japan versus Cuba, and so tonight I will again watch TV, and I hope Japan wins.

Q. Do you have trouble going out back in Japan and not being swarmed by people? Are you okay to just go out and be a regular person out shopping and so on?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I can't walk in Japan by myself. Probably do not have enough bravery to do it.
Personally I think there is no problem to go outside by myself, but that problem is afraid to go out by myself.

Q. What are your goals for your first season playing on the TOUR? What would be a good season for you?
RYO ISHIKAWA: This year?

Q. Yes. And ultimately, what would you like to do?
RYO ISHIKAWA: The Japanese Tour season is not open yet. It starts after the Masters.
Before the Japan season opening, it's great that I can play such many events in the States. So playing seven or eight events before the opening of the season, I think the chances to win will get bigger. It's difficult to say how many events I can win, but my goal for this year is to compete in as many events as I can.

Q. You're wearing all blue today, but I understand you like to wear colorful outfits. Is that your personal I think, and do you have a favorite color that you like to wear?
RYO ISHIKAWA: I also have many colors that I like, for example, red and green, I like those colors.

Q. Is that your personality, kind of outgoing, not bashful? Not to denigrate your nickname.
RYO ISHIKAWA: Of the golf course, I wear not such colorful clothes. But on the golf course, I want to wear colorful shirts and pants.
MARK WILLIAMS: Thank you so much for being here, and we appreciate your time.

End of FastScripts

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