Ishikawa tears up the record books again

Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa was hailed on Monday after tearing up the record books once again, adding to his growing stature by carding the lowest score ever on a major tour.

The 18-year-old, who has kept the men's game alive in Japan with his powerful drivers and aggressive short game, drawing high television ratings and huge galleries, carded a closing 58 on a par-70 course on Sunday.

It saw him finish on 13-under-par 267 to win the Crowns tournament, racking up 12 birdies without a bogey in his final round at Nagoya Golf Club.

The previous Japanese Tour record of 59 was set by Masahiro Kuramoto in the first round of the Acom International in 2003.

There have also been three 59s on the US Tour, set by Al Geiberger, Chip Beck and David Duval, while in Europe the current record is 60, which has been equalled 14 times.

Japanese media paid tribute to him with major newspapers carrying pictures of the smiling teen holding his score card, while television networks re-ran footage of him pumping the air after chipping in for a birdie.

"Ryo's legend renewed," the Sankei Shimbun said in a headline, while the Mainichi Shimbun hailed his feat as "an amazing Ryo drama with 58".

After the tournament, an excited Ishikawa told reporters: "I felt like I was playing in a dream. I was able to take a first step to an unknown world."

Tadashi Koizumi, chairman of the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), said he was considering seeking official recognition of the score by Guinness World Records.

His achievement was hailed by some of his peers.

"Wow," three-time major champion Padraig Harrington said in North Carolina when he was told about the score.

"If you'd told me 36-under had won, I'd be going 'That's OK.' But 58 and 13-under, that's impressive," continued the Irishman.

"Ryo's winning in his homeland so he now needs to take it over here and start winning here."

Ishikawa is fiercely loyal to the Japan Tour and has declined an invitation to play the Players Championship in Florida starting on Thursday, but he will be back in the United States for the US Open at Pebble Beach in June.

He has been credited with reviving men's golf in Japan after winning the domestic KSB Cup in 2007, becoming the youngest winner of any event on the world's six major tours at the age of 15.

The previous youngest was Seve Ballesteros of Spain, who topped the European Tour when he was 19 years old in 1976.

Ishikawa went on to win four times in Japan last year to become the youngest player to top the money list on one of golf's major tours.

He was then selected last year for the Presidents Cup -- the youngest player in the tournament's history -- and won three of his five matches for the International team captained by Greg Norman against the United States. from AFP