Overview
- Ozaki died in Japan on December 23 at age 78 from stage‑4 sigmoid colon cancer, with his son disclosing a year of home treatment and the Japan Golf Tour confirming his passing.
- His family held a private funeral, and reports indicate a public farewell is planned at a later date.
- He amassed 94 Japan Golf Tour titles among 113 worldwide victories, led the tour money list a record 12 times, and became the JGTO’s oldest winner in 2002 at age 55.
- He rose to No. 5 in the world ranking, became the first Japanese player to record a Masters top‑10 in 1973, and played 49 majors with a best of T‑6 at the 1989 U.S. Open.
- Tributes from the JGTO hailed him as a one‑of‑a‑kind figure, while brothers Naomichi "Joe" and Takeo "Jet" shared emotional remembrances of his guidance and legacy.