Overview
- His family and the Japan Golf Tour said he died on Tuesday from sigmoid colon cancer after about a year of home treatment.
- He amassed 94 Japan Golf Tour titles, 12 money list crowns and more than 110 victories worldwide, cementing his status as Japan’s most decorated professional golfer.
- He reached No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking, logged over 200 weeks in the top 10 and became the first Japanese player to record a top-10 at the Masters in 1973.
- He represented the International team at the 1996 Presidents Cup and was the tour’s oldest winner at 55 with his 2002 ANA Open victory.
- Tributes from the JGTO hailed him as “indispensable,” and his brothers Takeo “Jet” and Naomichi “Joe” mourned his passing; the family plans a private funeral with a public farewell to follow.