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Tokyo. Japanese teenage golf star Ryo Ishikawa said on Thursday he had done his homework ahead of a second Masters bid before departing for a clutch of tournaments in the United States.

During a miserable 2009 season in the majors, Ishikawa missed the cut at Augusta National by five strokes, failed to reach the weekend at the British Open and ended tied for 56th place at the US PGA Championship.

The story was different at home, though, as the 18-year-old became the youngest to top the money list on the Japan Tour or any of the world’s six major tours.

“I feel like I’ve studied for one whole year this time,” Ishikawa told a news conference before leaving for three US PGA tournaments, climaxing with the Masters starting on April 8.

“For a school final exam, I used to cram for two, three weeks, but failed because I hadn’t learned the basics. Now I don’t think I could have prepared myself any more. I want to bring everything I have to the United States without leaving anything at home.”

“I take my 2009 earnings title as something past and it doesn’t weigh on my mind much. It hasn’t given me much pressure.”

Currently ranked 37th in the world, Ishikawa has already played three US PGA events this year and will take part in the Transitions Championship from March 18-21 and the Arnold Palmer Invitational the following week.

Known for his powerful driving and aggressive short game, Ishikawa said he had focused on his driving in practice.

“I used the driver for 200 out of 400 shots a day. I think I have achieved my goal more or less,” he said, adding that he had also tried a variety of bunker shots. “There’s no doubt my bunker shots have improved from a year ago.”

Ishikawa has revived the men’s game in Japan since winning the domestic KSB Cup in 2007, becoming the youngest winner of any event on the world’s six major tours at the age of 15.

On Monday, his main sponsor, Panasonic, announced it would use Ishikawa in a television commercial for the first time following his high school graduation.

  Golf

Agence France-Presse