Ryo Ishikawa: Japanese Golfer Plays at Masters With a Heavy Heart

It can’t be easy for Ryo Ishikawa.

Ishikawa, a native of Japan, is taking part in this year’s Masters, but at home, an earthquake and a tsunami has left the country in a state of disrepair.

Yet somehow, through all of the distractions and heartache that he has experienced for his homeland, Ishikawa posted a one-under-par in yesterday’s first round, putting him six back of the leaders heading into today.

However, the bad news for him and his fellow countryman didn’t end there.

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“After carding a 71 Thursday in the opening round at Augusta National Golf Club, he received more bad news: that northeastern Japan had been hit with one of its worst aftershocks, a 7.1 magnitude, earlier in the day,” Joe Juliano of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.

‘"I think it is very serious," Ishikawa said through a translator.

“Ishikawa already has pledged every dollar of his winnings in 2011 to the relief effort in his country, which would be close to $2 million if he equaled his earnings of last year. Even though his heart is there, he believes he can inspire his countrymen by playing well.

‘"I understand that people, especially in Sendai, they are living in hell," he said, "and I would love to show the energy and power of what golf can bring to those people."’

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It’s great that Ishikawa, and so many other athletes for that matter, have taken the initiative to donate money and get the word out about trying to help Japan get back on its feet. I also commend him for doing so well despite having to deal with a very serious situation.

Ishikawa is only 19, and he’s playing on the biggest stage in American golf, fighting for the green jacket, while trying to get past a tragedy like few can imagine. It would be a great story if the young golfer somehow managed to win this tournament, but sadly for him, I don’t see it happening.

Six strokes isn’t an insurmountable lead, but with conditions being pretty much perfect all weekend, it’s going to drive scoring up, and with a player like Rory McIlroy, who is tied for the lead heading into the second round, he’s the type of player that thrives on these conditions.

Ishikawa will have a respectable finish, but there won’t be a Hollywood ending.