SAN FRANCISCO -- Ryo Ishikawa is the baby of this week's Presidents Cup, soft features, a shy presence and a floppy mop of unkempt hair.Having only turned 18 in September, he smiles a lot in public, seemingly happy to remain chameleon quiet. At 5-foot-9 and 140 pounds, he does not demand physical attention. He says "Mr. Norman" when talking about Greg Norman, the International Team captain who handpicked Ishikawa for the competition that starts Thursday.
Back home in Japan, where Ishikawa has been treated like a rock star since winning a pro event at age 15, such deference and respectful demeanor has earned him the nickname "Bashful Prince." But here in America, after a few days at Harding Park Golf Club, the title almost seems a bit dated. Bashful or not, Ishikawa already has the power to rule.
No, Eldrick has not left the building. It's just that Ishikawa is new and fresh and fascinatingly interesting.
And on Thursday, the Fresh Prince gets to tussle right along side golf's commander-in-chief.
In the fifth pairing of the opening day's six alternate-shot matches, Ishikawa and partner Geoff Ogilvy go against Americans Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked players in the world.
"It's a dream come true to be in this event, but I'm nervous at the same time," Ishikawa said, understanding a question asked in English but answering in Japanese through a interrupter.
"I'm going to do my best to put my efforts in to help the team win. Everyone is so great, and all of the other team members have been very nice to me. I just want to have a great week and be able to contribute with them."
Ishikawa already is contributing. To local economies. Just by showing up for an American golf tournament, he guarantees three of four dozen Japanese media members also will make the trip.
Everywhere he goes, an entire country is waiting.
"I can't walk in Japan by myself," Ishikawa explains. "Probably do not have enough bravery to do it."
This is not the result of an accident. At 15, he became the youngest player to ever crash the Top 100 in the World Golf Rankings. He's currently 50th.
Four times this year the teenager has won Japanese Tour events. He was invited to play in the Masters and the British Open. PGA Tour invitations were offered for Rivera, Tampa and Arnold Palmer's stop in Orlando.The British Open was the best and the worst. Paired with Woods for the opening two rounds, Ishikawa opened with a 68 only to follow with 78.
Only a speed bump.
"My selection of Ishikawa was one that was a very easy one of mine, to tell you the truth," Norman said. "The kid has a lot of the right qualities."
Norman saw for himself. Like everyone in golf, he had heard Ishikawa's praises. But Sharky wanted to look for himself. At Turnberry during the British Open, Norman approached the practice range unannounced from the back, studying the youngster as a face in the crowd.
"I always like to see how a guy works on the driving range," Norman said. "You know he's going to take that energy to the golf course. And he was so focused. I was extremely impressed, for a young guy, because a lot of things happen on the driving range at the British Open. There's a lot of activity, a lot of cameras, a lot of people. And he was into his game.
"For a kid his age, he's got heaps of maturity about him."
Ishikawa, he of a reported $10 million endorsement deal negotiated by IMG, seems almost awed by Norman's praise.
He counters by recalling watching Norman play on television for the first time, probably 10 years ago shortly after he first started playing golf as a kid. He liked the Great White Shark nickname. He liked watching the shots.
"That kind of leaves an impression on my mind," Ishikawa said.
"Now, to have a player like him pick me into this Presidents Cup event, I'm very honored and very excited."
The Bashful Prince isn't worried. A chance to play side-by-side with Woods can only be good for improvement. There will be those bothersome news conferences afterward "which makes me very, very nervous,'' but the golf will be fun.
Yeah, baby.
