Golfer Ryo Ishikawa is hoping to demonstrate how much he has grown as a player when he tees off for the third time at the Masters Tournament in nearly two months.
The golfing sensation, who departed for the United States on Saturday, will play in the Northern Trust Open from Feb. 17-20 in California, as he gears himself for the first major of the season at Augusta National on April 7-10.
"I want to show people what a Japanese golfer can do in the Masters, Ishikawa said.
Ishikawa, who missed the cut at the Masters the previous two years, will be playing in his sixth tournament on the U.S. PGA Tour in nine weeks from now.
"This is my third year of playing on the U.S. tour. I'm hoping that I continue to get used to playing over there. I think I understand a little more of what is expected of me in the Masters," he said.
The 19-year-old, who had recently been training in Okinawa, has also bulked up some as he bids to compete with the top golfers in the world.
"I've done all there is to be done. I want to play golf over there just like I do when I play in Japan," he said.