(Dec 24): Masashi 'Jumbo' Ozaki, one of only two Japanese golfers to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, died at 78 after a battle with colon cancer, the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) said on Wednesday. Ozaki started his career as a baseball player, before switching to professional golf and winning his first Japan PGA Championship at 26. Though he did not win a title in the US, Ozaki achieved top-10 finishes three times — at the Masters (T8, 1973), US Open (T6, 1989) and The Open Championship (T10, 1979). Ozaki won the Japan Open five times and the Japan PGA Championship six times, with his last appearance on the tour being at the 2002 ANA Open when he was 55. His younger brothers Naomichi (Joe) and Tateo (Jet) also enjoyed successful careers in Japan and played limited schedules in the US.

Source: The Edge Markets December 24, 2025 13:47 UTC