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Reflections |
Shingo Katayama
Professional golfer
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The sweet swing of Shingo Katayama is well known in his native Japan, where he has led the money list four times, including three of the last four years. Worldwide, Katayama is more known for his ever-present cowboy hat and a fourth-place finish at the 2001 PGA Championship, where he smiled and joked all the way to the clubhouse.
A 21-time victor on the Japanese Tour, Katayama is a golf hero in Japan. His exposure on the PGA Tour is limited, as he only appears in about five tournaments per year. In his most recent U.S. outing, at the 2007 Masters, Katayama finished tied for 44th.
Though Katayama does not speak English, GCM was able to catch up with the player at the “big oak tree” next to the clubhouse at Augusta National and interview Katayama through an interpreter.
— Seth Jones, senior associate editor
I’m so surprised when I make a practice round. There are so many guys out there syringing greens, mowing grass, raking bunkers. It’s totally different types of grasses in Japan. You can’t find this type of grass — only in the northern part of Japan, a different island. Where I stay, you can’t find this type of grass, so it’s hard to compare. There’s a golf course called Taiheiyo Gotemba (Shizuoka, Japan) where they held the World Cup in Japan. The superintendent there comes to the U.S. to study. I don’t know many superintendents, but it’s a profession I respect. |
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