Shigeki's Golf Swing Highlights
Since turning professional in 1992 with 8
prestigious amateur titles, "Smiley" Shigeki has
risen to stardom both on and off the golf course.
Smiley has won 9 Japan PGA Golf tournaments including
3 major titles in 1997, the Japan Open, Japan Match
Play, and Japan Series. His trademark smile and
funloving personality, have made him very popular with
the Japanese TV audience. He has appeared on Commercials and TV
shows countless times.
Smiley became an overnight international star with his
sensational debut at the 1998 Presidents Cup in
Australia. He recorded a 5-0 record in match play and
became the MVP by leading the International team's
first Presidents Cup win. In 1999, he entered
9 PGA tour events. He tied for 5th place in the
Andersen Consulting World Golf Championship World
(WGC)Match Play and 6th place on the WGC-NEC
Invitational gave him the 2000 tour card.
Smiley has focused his energy in
playing on the PGA tour full time. In 2000, he has
finished tied with Tiger Woods for 2nd at Buick
Invitational in San Diego, and received his biggest
check ever in the US. Less than one month later, he
secured his 2001 playing privileges with the 4th place
finish at the Doral Ryder Open and also made his third
consecutive Masters Tournament appearance. Later in
the season, he came back to the Presidents Cup.......
Smiley is the first Japanese professional golfer to
earn over $1 million in a season on the PGA Tour.
First came to attention of golf world when he was surprise star of Presidents Cup with a 5-0 record...Won PGA Philanthropy Open. 1997: Won four times on the Japan Golf Tour -- Japan PGA Championship, Pocari Sweat Yomiuri Open, PGA Match Play Promise Cup and Golf Nippon Hitachi Cup. 1993: First victory came at Pepsi-Ubekousan. Won his first PGA tour event in 2001 with victory at the Greater Milwaukee Open and then won the 2002 Verizon Byron Nelson Classic
Personal
Known for his ever-present smile on the golf course with a nickname as the "Smilin' Assassin'...First shot even-par at age 11...Early in career, made regular appearances on Japanese TV variety show called Yume-ga-MoriMori (Lots of Dreams)...Followed up on his dream with his father by launching his own junior golf foundation in Japan which his company operates. The foundation had held four events through 2001, three in Japan and one in Whistler, Canada.
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