Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki, a legendary Japanese golfer with 113 worldwide victories, passed away at the age of 78 after a battle with colon cancer. Revered in his home country, Ozaki was known for his powerful hitting and stylish demeanor, securing 94 wins on the Japan Golf Tour over 29 years, with his last victory occurring at age 55. He reached a peak world ranking of No. 5 in 1996 at age 49. Although he never won a major championship outside of Japan, with his best performance being a tie for third at the 1989 U.
S. Open, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. Ozaki is considered a pivotal figure in Japanese men's golf, inspiring subsequent generations like Isao Aoki and Hideki Matsuyama.
He achieved considerable success domestically, winning the Japan Open five times and the Japan PGA Championship six times, and led the Japan Golf Tour money list a record 12 times. Ozaki, often compared to Arnold Palmer in Japan for his charisma and powerful swing, also had a background in professional baseball and even released three popular songs in Japan.
He was known to mentor younger players, like Ryo Ishikawa, sharing insights from his baseball experience.