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Isao Aoki
青木 功
Personal information
Born (1942-08-31) 31 August 1942 (age 82)
Abiko, Chiba, Japan
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg)
Nationality  Japan
Career
Turned professional 1964
Former tour(s) PGA Tour
Japan Golf Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins 80
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour 1
European Tour 1
Japan Golf Tour 51 (2nd all-time)
PGA Tour of Australasia 1
Champions Tour 9
Other 17
Best results in Major Championships
The Masters Tournament T16: 1985
U.S. Open 2nd: 1980
The Open Championship T7: 1978, 1979, 1988
PGA Championship T4: 1981
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame 2004
PGA of Japan Tour
money list winner		 1976, 1978, 1979,
1980, 1981

Isao Aoki (青木 功, Aoki Isao, born 31 August 1942) is a Japanese professional golfer. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.

Career

Aoki was born in Abiko, Chiba, Japan. He was introduced to golf while caddying at the Abiko Golf Club as a schoolboy. He turned professional in 1964. He went on to win more than fifty events on the Japan Golf Tour between 1972 and 1990, trailing only Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki on the list of golfers with most Japan Golf Tour wins. He won the Japan Golf Tour money list five times in six years: 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. His career earnings are 980 million yen.

In 1983, Aoki won the Hawaiian Open on the U.S.-based PGA Tour, the first Japanese and Asian player to win on the tour, and the Panasonic European Open on the European Tour. He also won the prestigious World Match Play Championship in England in 1978, which was not a European Tour event at that time, and picked up a win on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Aoki is also one of the nine players in the history of the Open Championship to shoot a round of just 63 shots (which he achieved in the third round of the 1980 event). Despite this being the joint-best round in the history of the tournament at the time, Aoki would only finish tied for 12th that year.

Aoki played 165 times on the PGA Tour between 1974 and 1999, primarily from 1981 to 1990. His best finish in a major championship was a second-place finish to Jack Nicklaus (by two strokes) in the 1980 U.S. Open. That finish, combined with his recent record in Japan and around the globe, meant that Aoki would finish 1980 ranked third in the unofficial McCormack's World Golf Rankings, a position he would hold at the end of 1981. After the Official World Golf Rankings debuted in 1986, he was ranked in the top-10 for several weeks in 1987.

In December 1984 after receiving an invitation from Gary Player, Aoki traveled to South Africa to participate in the Million Dollar Challenge. Aoki did this in spite of the efforts of the Japanese government to dissuade him from making the trip.

As a senior, Aoki has played primarily in the United States on the Champions Tour, winning nine times between 1992 and 2003. He has eight senior victories outside the United States, including five victories in the Japan Senior Open where he shot his age, 65, during his most recent triumph in 2007.

Professional wins (80)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 13 Feb 1983 Hawaiian Open −20 (66-70-65-67=268) 1 stroke United States Jack Renner

European Tour wins (1)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runners-up
1 4 Sep 1983 Panasonic European Open −6 (65-70-70-69=274) 2 strokes Spain Seve Ballesteros, England Nick Faldo,
England Carl Mason

PGA of Japan Tour wins (51)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 29 Apr 1973 Chunichi Crowns −10 (66-67-68-69=270) 1 stroke Taiwan Lu Liang-Huan
2 20 May 1973 Pepsi-Wilson Tournament −7 (67-65-72-77=281) Playoff Japan Kosaku Shimada
3 17 Jun 1973 Sapporo Tokyu Open −7 (69-71-67-74=281) 1 stroke Taiwan Lu Liang-Huan
4 26 Aug 1973 KBC Augusta −22 (64-67-68-67=266) 13 strokes Japan Yasuhiro Miyamoto
5 21 Oct 1973 Japan PGA Championship −13 (64-70-68-73=275) 8 strokes Japan Haruo Yasuda
6 17 Feb 1974 JPGA East-West Match −5 (139)
7 14 Jul 1974 Kanto Open −17 (65-65-71-70=271) 12 strokes Japan Takaaki Kona
8 4 Aug 1974 Kanto Pro Championship −21 (67-66-68-66=267) 6 strokes Japan Hideyo Sugimoto
9 15 Sep 1974 Sanpo Classic −12 (69-65-68-74=276) 3 strokes Taiwan Kuo Chie-Hsiung, Japan Masashi Ozaki
10 29 Apr 1975 Chunichi Crowns (2) −6 (68-68-68-68=272) 1 stroke Japan Teruo Sugihara
11 13 Jul 1975 Kanto Open (2) −8 (72-72-69-67=280) 1 stroke Japan Fujio Kobayashi
12 17 Oct 1976 Tokai Classic −5 (74-74-68-67=283) Playoff Japan Teruo Sugihara, Japan Shigeru Uchida
13 12 Jun 1977 Tohoku Classic −10 (71-67-72-68=278) 1 stroke Taiwan Lu Liang-Huan
14 13 Nov 1977 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches −8 (67-69-71-73=280) 2 strokes United States Tom Weiskopf
15 30 Apr 1978 Chunichi Crowns (3) −10 (63-67-69-70=270) 5 strokes Japan Masashi Ozaki
16 28 May 1978 Japan PGA Match-Play Championship 2 and 1 Japan Takahiro Takeyasu
17 18 Jun 1978 Sapporo Tokyu Open (2) −10 (70-69-67-72=278) 5 strokes Taiwan Hsieh Yung-yo
18 6 Aug 1978 Kanto Pro Championship (2) −14 (69-69-68-68=274) 1 stroke Japan Tsuneyuki Nakajima
19 12 Nov 1978 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches (2) −15 (71-68-64-70=273) 5 strokes Japan Kosaku Shimada
20 3 Dec 1978 Golf Nippon Series −8 (69-69-73-71=282) 1 stroke Japan Haruo Yasuda
21 29 Apr 1979 Chunichi Crowns (4) −1 (67-73-69-70=279) 1 stroke Japan Tōru Nakamura, Japan Haruo Yasuda
22 20 May 1979 Japan PGA Match-Play Championship (2) 1 up Taiwan Hsieh Min-Nan
23 1 Jul 1979 Kanto Pro Championship (3) −9 (68-66-72-73=279) 5 strokes
24 2 Dec 1979 Golf Nippon Series (3) −14 (68-71-66-71=276) 13 strokes Japan Kikuo Arai, Japan Tōru Nakamura
25 4 May 1980 Chunichi Crowns (5) E (69-68-71-72=280) 2 strokes Australia Graham Marsh
26 25 May 1980 Yomiuri Open −9 (70-72-71-70=283) 1 stroke Japan Teruo Sugihara
27 31 Aug 1980 KBC Augusta (2) −7 (68-69=137)* 2 strokes Japan Hiroshi Tahara
28 28 Sep 1980 Kanto Open (3) +2 (71-71-75-73=290) 1 stroke Japan Pete Izumikawa, Japan Akira Yabe
29 30 Nov 1980 Gene Sarazen Jun Classic −11 (68-67-70-72=277) 1 stroke Spain Seve Ballesteros
30 22 Mar 1981 Shizuoka Open −9 (74-69-64-72=279) Playoff Japan Akira Yabe
31 17 May 1981 Japan PGA Match-Play Championship (3) 38 holes Japan Katsuji Hasegawa
32 2 Aug 1981 Japan PGA Championship (2) −11 (72-67-70-68=277) 4 strokes Japan Tōru Nakamura
33 16 May 1982 Japan PGA Match-Play Championship (4) 4 and 2 Japan Yutaka Hagawa
34 12 Jun 1983 Sapporo Tokyu Open (3) −14 (72-65-71-66=274) 7 strokes Australia Terry Gale
35 3 Jul 1983 Kanto Pro Championship (4) −10 (69-68-70-35=242)* 1 stroke Japan Naomichi Ozaki
36 2 Oct 1983 Japan Open Golf Championship −7 (72-69-71-69=281) Playoff Australia Terry Gale
37 4 Dec 1983 Golf Nippon Series (3) −7 (70-71-66-74=281) 1 stroke Japan Masahiro Kuramoto
38 15 Jun 1986 Sapporo Tokyu Open (4) −15 (65-67-72-69=273) 3 strokes Japan Shinsaku Maeda
39 27 Jul 1986 Japan PGA Championship (3) −16 (66-68-69-69=272) 4 strokes Japan Masashi Ozaki
40 31 Aug 1986 KBC Augusta (3) −6 (74-72-69-67=282) 1 stroke Japan Masahiro Kuramoto, Japan Masashi Ozaki
41 7 Sep 1986 Kanto Open (4) −13 (72-69-70-68=279) 1 stroke Japan Masashi Ozaki
42 26 Apr 1987 Dunlop International Open1 −11 (69-67-69-72=277) 1 stroke Japan Tsuneyuki Nakajima, Japan Yoshitaka Yamamoto
43 20 Sep 1987 ANA Open −6 (72-70-68-72=282) 1 stroke Japan Tsukasa Watanabe
44 11 Oct 1987 Japan Open Golf Championship (2) −9 (70-68-71-70=279) 1 stroke Japan Tsuneyuki Nakajima, Japan Nobuo Serizawa
45 6 Dec 1987 Golf Nippon Series (4) −7 (67-71=138)* Shared title with United States David Ishii
46 1 Oct 1989 Tokai Classic (2) −13 (67-69-71-68=275) 5 strokes Japan Pete Izumikawa
47 26 Nov 1989 Casio World Open −14 (70-70-65-69=274) 1 stroke United States Larry Mize
48 27 May 1990 Mitsubishi Galant Tournament +1 (70-76-71-72=289) 3 strokes Japan Masashi Ozaki, Japan Teruo Sugihara,
Japan Tsuyoshi Yoneyama
49 27 Oct 1991 Bridgestone Open −10 (71-63=134)* 1 stroke Japan Tsuyoshi Yoneyama
50 31 May 1992 Mitsubishi Galant Tournament (2) −11 (69-66-71-71=277) 4 strokes Taiwan Chen Tze-chung, Japan Saburo Fujiki
51 29 Nov 1992 Casio World Open (2) −11 (76-66-64-71=277) 4 strokes Taiwan Chen Tze-ming

*Note: Tournament shortened to 36/63 holes due to weather.
1Co-sanctioned by the Asia Golf Circuit

PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (4–9)

No. Year Tournament Opponent(s) Result
1 1973 Pepsi-Wilson Tournament Japan Kosaku Shimada Won with birdie on sixth extra hole
2 1973 World Friendship Taiwan Lu Liang-Huan, Australia Graham Marsh Lu won with birdie on first extra hole
3 1974 ANA Sapporo Open Japan Masashi Ozaki Lost to birdie on first extra hole
4 1976 Tokai Classic Japan Teruo Sugihara, Japan Shigeru Uchida Won with birdie on first extra hole
5 1979 Japan Open Golf Championship Taiwan Kuo Chie-Hsiung, Japan Koichi Uehara,
Japan Yoshitaka Yamamoto		 Kuo won with birdie on fourth extra hole
Aoki and Uehara eliminated by birdie on first hole
6 1981 Shizuoka Open Japan Akira Yabe Won with par on third extra hole
7 1981 Golf Nippon Series Japan Yutaka Hagawa Lost to birdie on first extra hole
8 1983 Niigata Open Japan Hideto Shigenobu, Japan Katsunari Takahashi Shigenobu won with par on first extra hole
9 1983 Japan Open Golf Championship Australia Terry Gale Won with par on second extra hole
10 1984 Chunichi Crowns United States Scott Simpson Lost to par on first extra hole
11 1986 Suntory Open Australia Graham Marsh Lost to par on first extra hole
12 1991 Fujisankei Classic Japan Saburo Fujiki, Australia Brian Jones,
Japan Hideki Kase		 Fujiki won with birdie on second extra hole
13 1991 Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Spain Seve Ballesteros, United States Jay Don Blake,
United States Larry Nelson		 Nelson won with par on fourth extra hole
Ballesteros eliminated by birdie on third hole
Blake eliminated by par on first hole

PGA Tour of Australia wins (1)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runners-up
1 22 Jan 1989 Coca-Cola Classic −9 (69-73-66-71=279) 1 stroke Australia Rodger Davis, Australia Peter Fowler,
Japan Tsuneyuki Nakajima, Australia Peter O'Malley

Other wins (8)

  • 1971 Kanto Pro Championship (Japan)
  • 1972 Kanto Pro Championship (Japan)
  • 1973 Gold Beck
  • 1977 Jun Classic
  • 1978 Colgate World Match Play Championship (England)
  • 1982 Old Sones Invitational, Daikyo Open
  • 1987 Fred Meyer Challenge (with Payne Stewart)

Senior PGA Tour wins (9)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 27 Sep 1992 Nationwide Championship −8 (70-66=136)* 1 stroke United States Raymond Floyd
2 18 Sep 1994 Bank One Senior Classic −14 (69-64-69=202) 3 strokes United States Chi-Chi Rodríguez
3 25 Sep 1994 Brickyard Crossing Championship −11 (66-67=133)* 1 stroke United States Jimmy Powell, United States Tom Wargo
4 27 Aug 1995 Bank of Boston Senior Classic −12 (69-66-69=204) 1 stroke New Zealand Bob Charles, United States Hale Irwin
5 26 May 1996 BellSouth Senior Classic −14 (64-68-70=202) 1 stroke Australia Graham Marsh, United States Jay Sigel
6 30 Jun 1996 Kroger Senior Classic −15 (63-69-66=198) 1 stroke United States Mike Hill, United States Rocky Thompson
7 28 Sep 1997 Emerald Coast Classic −14 (71-60-65=196) Playoff United States Gil Morgan
8 14 Jun 1998 BellSouth Senior Classic (2) −18 (62-66-70=198) 2 strokes United States Larry Nelson
9 19 May 2002 Instinet Classic −15 (69-67-65=201) 4 strokes United States John Jacobs

*Note: Tournament shortened to 36 holes due to weather.

Senior PGA Tour playoff record (1–4)

No. Year Tournament Opponent Result
1 1994 The Transamerica United States Kermit Zarley Lost to birdie on first extra hole
2 1995 The Tradition United States Jack Nicklaus Lost to birdie on third extra hole
3 1997 Emerald Coast Classic United States Gil Morgan Won with par on second extra hole
4 1998 Coldwell Banker Burnet Classic United States Leonard Thompson Lost to birdie on second extra hole
5 2000 State Farm Senior Classic United States Leonard Thompson Lost to birdie on second extra hole

Japan Senior PGA Tour wins (9)

  • 1994 Japan Senior Open
  • 1995 American Express Grand Slam, Japan Senior Open
  • 1996 Japan Senior Open
  • 1997 Japan Senior Open
  • 2000 N. Cup Senior Open
  • 2002 N. Cup Senior Open
  • 2007 Japan Senior Open
  • 2008 Kinojo Senior Open

Results in major championships

Tournament 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Masters Tournament CUT CUT T28 CUT T34 CUT T45 CUT 19 T25 T16 CUT CUT T25
U.S. Open T36 2 T11 T30 T16 T14 T50 T33 T33
The Open Championship CUT T7 T7 T12 T11 T20 T47 T7 CUT
PGA Championship CUT T4 T49 CUT CUT T36 CUT T38 T17 T40

     Top 10      Did not play CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1977 Open Championship)
"T" = tied

Summary

Tournament Wins 2nd 3rd Top-5 Top-10 Top-25 Events Cuts made
Masters Tournament 0 0 0 0 0 4 14 7
U.S. Open 0 1 0 1 1 4 9 9
The Open Championship 0 0 0 0 3 6 9 7
PGA Championship 0 0 0 1 1 2 10 6
Totals 0 1 0 2 5 16 42 29
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 7 (1988 Masters – 1990 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (five times)

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
The Players Championship CUT T43 T15 T7 CUT T24 T60 CUT CUT

     Top 10 CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in senior major championships

Results not in chronological order before 2012.

Tournament 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Senior PGA Championship 3 T5 T5 2 T20 T44 T15 T62 T20 CUT
The Tradition 6 T9 2 T12 2 T13 T28 T47 T35
Senior Players Championship T5 T3 6 T30 T2 3 T14 T18 T17 21
U.S. Senior Open T20 10 T3 11 T49 T4 CUT T47 T2 T18
Tournament 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Senior PGA Championship CUT T27 T62 T28 CUT CUT CUT
The Tradition T20 T53 T32 T67 T71 T57 64
Senior Players Championship T12 T28 T18 52
U.S. Senior Open T30 T45 CUT
Senior British Open Championship T14 T22 T36 T60 CUT 50 CUT DQ CUT CUT

     Top 10      Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut
DQ = disqualified
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Note: The Senior British Open Championship did not become a major until 2003.

Team appearances

  • World Cup (representing Japan): 1973, 1974
  • Alfred Dunhill Cup (representing Japan): 1985, 1999, 2000
  • Nissan Cup/Kirin Cup (representing Japan): 1985, 1987, 1988
  • UBS Warburg Cup (representing the Rest of the World): 2001, 2002
  • Dynasty Cup (representing Japan): 2003 (non-playing captain), 2005 (non-playing captain)

Honours

See also

  • List of golfers with most Japan Golf Tour wins
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