Japanese golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa has been invited by Arnold Palmer to play in his Arnold Palmer held at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando. Aside from that, he has also accepted an invitation to play in the Northern Trust Open that will be held at the Riviera on the 23rd to the 26th of March 2009. This match will mark the 17-year-old’s debut on the PGA Tour.
Ishikawa will also be playing at the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook a week before playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Palmer has been known for his ability to spot young talent even before they become known on the international scene. He was one of the first people to spot international golf stars like South African Ernie Els and Vijay Singh from Fiji. In his letter to Ishikawa, Palmer told the young star that he has [Palmer] has been following his [Ishikawa] career and that he is impressed at what the young Japanese has achieved at such a young age. Ishikawa gladly accepted the exemption.
At the age of 15, Ishikawa gained notoriety when he became the youngest to ever win the Japan Golf Tour. He is also ranked No. 60 in the Wolf Golf Ranking, making him the youngest player to ever crack the Top 100. Northern Trust Open will be his debut on the American golfing scene.