Isao Aoki

Isao Aoki

Full Name

ih-SAH-oh ah-OH-key

Pronunciation

6 ft, 0 in (183 cm)

Height

180 lbs (82 kg)

Weight

August 31, 1942

Birthday

79

AGE

Abiko, Chiba, Japan

Birthplace

Tokyo, Japan

Residence

Wife, Chie; Joanne (4/17/67)

Family

1964

Turned Pro

$18,736,670

Career Earnings

Indu

Hall of Fame

Tokyo, Japan

City Plays From

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 1981
• PGA TOUR Champions: 1992

PGA TOUR Victories (1)

1983 Season

• Hawaiian Open

PGA TOUR Champions Victories (9)

1992 Season

• Nationwide Championship

1994 Season

• Bank One Classic
• Brickyard Crossing Championship

1995 Season

• Bank of Boston Senior Classic

1996 Season

• BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland
• Kroger Senior Classic

1997 Season

• Emerald Coast Classic

1998 Season

• BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland

2002 Season

• The Instinet Classic

International Victories (7)

• 1994 Japan Senior Open
• 1995 American Express Grandslam
• 1995 Japan Senior Open
• 1996 Japan Senior Open
• 1997 Japan Senior Open
• 2000 Northern Cup Senior Open
• 2007 Japan Senior Open

Additional Victories (58)

• 1971 Kanto PGA
• 1972 Kanto PGA
• 1973 Coldbeck
• 1973 Chunichi Crowns
• 1973 Pepsi Wilson
• 1973 Sapporo Tokyu Open
• 1973 KBC Augusta
• 1973 Japan Pro
• 1974 Kanto Pro
• 1974 Nichie Taiko
• 1974 Kanto Open
• 1974 Sanpo Class
• 1974 Tozai Taiko
• 1975 Kanto Open
• 1975 Chunichi Crowns
• 1976 Tokai Classic
• 1977 Tohoku Classic
• 1977 Nichibei Taiko
• 1977 Jun Classic
• 1978 Chunichi Crowns
• 1978 Japan Pro Match Play
• 1978 Sapporo Tokyu Open
• 1978 Kanto Pro
• 1978 Nichibei Taiko
• 1978 Japan Series
• 1978 Colgate World Match Play
• 1979 Chunichi Crowns
• 1979 Japan Pro Match Play
• 1979 Kanto Pro
• 1979 Japan Series
• 1980 Chunichi Crowns
• 1980 Yomiuri Open
• 1980 KBC Augusta
• 1980 Kanto Open
• 1980 Jun Classic
• 1981 Japan Pro
• 1981 Japan Pro Match Play
• 1981 Shizuoka Open
• 1982 Japan Pro Match Play
• 1983 Kanto Pro
• 1983 Sapporo Tokyu Open
• 1983 Japan Open
• 1983 Japan Series
• 1983 Panasonic European Open
• 1984 Sapporo Tokyu Open
• 1984 Japan Open
• 1984 KBC Augusta
• 1984 Kanto Open
• 1987 Dunlop Kokusai
• 1987 ANA Open
• 1987 Japan Open
• 1987 Japan Series
• 1989 Tokai Classic
• 1989 Casio World Open
• 1990 Mitsubishi Galant
• 1991 Bridgestone Open
• 1992 Mitsubishi Galant
• 1992 Casio World Open

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS (1-4)

• 1994 Lost to Kermit Zarley, The Transamerica
• 1995 Lost to Jack Nicklaus, The Tradition
• 1997 Defeated Gil Morgan, Emerald Coast Classic
• 1998 Lost to Leonard Thompson, Coldwell Banker Burnet Classic
• 2000 Lost to Leonard Thompson, State Farm Senior Classic

Personal

• Was introduced to golf as a caddie at the Abiko GC while attending Abiko Junior High School.
• Earned the nickname 'Tower' after the Tokyo Tower, because of his height (6 feet.)
• Uses an unorthodox putting stroke, but considers that to be the strongest part of his game.
• Works as a TV commentator for Japanese broadcasts of the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship.

Special Interests

• Fishing, golf course design

Career Highlights

2013 Season

• Pacific Links Hawai'i Championship: Made his first and only start on the PGA TOUR Champions in a year when he played in the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship and finished 79th.

2012 Season

Made just two starts.

• Pacific Links Hawai'i Championship: Withdrew with a hip injury after two rounds of the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship.
• The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex: Missed the cut at The Senior Open Championship.

2010 Season

Made just six starts.

• JELD-WEN Tradition: His best effort was a 64th-place finish at the JELD-WEN Tradition.

2006 Season

• Turtle Bay Championship: Turned in a solo third-place effort at the Turtle Bay Championship, three strokes back of Loren Roberts after being in contention down the stretch. Effort was his first top-three finish in a Champions Tour event since finishing as runner-up at the rain-shortened 2002 Royal Caribbean Classic. Second-round 66 was his best single-round performance since posting the same score in the first round of the 2005 Ford Senior Players.

2004 Season

• FedEx Kinko's Classic: Lone top-10 finish was a T6 at the FedEx Kinko's Classic near Austin. Trailed by just one stroke through 36 holes, but even-par 72 on Sunday left him three strokes back.
• Awards: Highlight of his year was selection for the World Golf Hall of Fame from the International ballot early in the year and inducted along with Tom Kite, Charlie Sifford and Marlene Streit in ceremonies in November.

2002 Season

• The Instinet Classic: Was a four-stroke winner over John Jacobs at The Instinet Classic. Had 13 birdies and one bogey on the weekend on his way to victory. Made up two strokes the final day to earn a career-best check for $225,000 while posting his ninth career win on the PGA TOUR Champions.
• Royal Caribbean Classic: Made a run at victory in the rain-shortened Royal Caribbean Classic before eventually finishing second for the third time at Crandon Park. A 10-under total for 36 holes tied him with Tom Watson and Bruce Fleisher, one stroke behind winner John Jacobs.

2001 Season

• Ford Senior Players Championship: Made his 1,000th professional start, at the Ford Senior Players Championship.
• U.S. Senior Open: Was the 36- and 54-hole leader at the U.S. Senior Open and eventually T2 along with Jim Colbert, one stroke back of Bruce Fleisher.
• Royal Caribbean Classic: Started the year with a runner-up finish at the Royal Caribbean Classic, one point short of Larry Nelson in the Modified Stableford event. Four-putted the first hole on Sunday, including a whiff for a double-bogey, that cost him either an outright victory or a spot in a playoff.

2000 Season

• State Farm Senior Classic: Started the final round of the State Farm Senior Classic four shots behind Leonard Thompson, but forced a playoff with a final-round 65 that included birdies on three of the last four holes. Eventually lost to Thompson for the second time in his PGA TOUR Champions career on the second hole of overtime.

1999 Season

• Royal Caribbean Classic: Best finish was a runner-up performance to Bruce Fleisher at the Royal Caribbean Classic.

1998 Season

• Utah Showdown Presented by Smith's: Lost in a playoff to Leonard Thompson at the Coldwell Banker Burnet Classic and T2 at the Utah Showdown.
• BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland: One of four players to go wire-to-wire, winning the BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland with an 18-under-par 198 total, a tournament record at the time.

1997 Season

Had best year of his career with over $1.4 million in official money.

• Emerald Coast Classic: Lone victory came at the Emerald Coast Classic. Established the PGA TOUR Champions all-time record for lowest 18-hole score when he shot 60 (10-under-par) in the second round, and then, after a birdie on the final hole in regulation to tie Gil Morgan, came back with another birdie on the first playoff hole to claim the title. His 65 on Sunday, coupled with his record 60, helped him also establish a then-PGA TOUR Champions mark for best consecutive rounds (60-65–125), breaking the record of 126 by Jim Colbert (62-64 in 1994) and Bob Murphy (63-63 in 1995).

1996 Season

Named the PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Month for both May and June.

• Kroger Senior Classic: Claimed the Kroger Senior Classic by five strokes over Rocky Thompson and Mike Hill.
• BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland: Defeated Jay Sigel and Graham Marsh by a stroke for the BellSouth Senior Classic at Opryland title.

1995 Season

• Bank of Boston Senior Classic: Collected over $1 million for first time in his career, helped by a win at the Bank of Boston Senior Classic, where he birdied the final hole to nip Bob Charles and Hale Irwin.
• The Tradition: Was second four times, including playoff loss to Jack Nicklaus at The Tradition.

1994 Season

Caught fire in the fall, winning back-to-back events.

• The Transamerica: Almost earned a third win at The Transamerica, but lost on the first extra hole to Kermit Zarley. Played his final 10 holes at Silverado in 10-under-par (eight birdies, one eagle and one par) and carded an 8-under-par 29 on the back nine en route to a 63 that forced the playoff.
• Brickyard Crossing Championship: Won the rain-shortened Brickyard Crossing Championship. One-stroke victory over Jimmy Powell and Tom Wargo in Indianapolis made him the first player to win in consecutive weeks since Lee Trevino in fall of 1993.
• Bank One Classic: Won the Bank One Classic. Three-stroke win over Chi Chi Rodriguez in Lexington ended almost a two-year drought.
• Awards: Player of the Month for September.

1993 Season

• GTE Suncoast Classic: T2 at the GTE West Classic.

1992 Season

Had impressive rookie year with six top-10 finishes in seven starts.

• Nationwide Championship: Season was highlighted by victory at the Nationwide Championship. Shot a 66 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead and was declared the winner when the final round was canceled by rain. Victory made him the first Japanese player to win on both the PGA TOUR and the PGA TOUR Champions
• First of America Classic: Made PGA TOUR Champions debut at the First of America Classic (T13).

1900 Season

• The Crowns: Captured his fifth Japan Senior Open title. Started the final round six shots back of Kiyoshi Murota but fired a 7-under 65 at Kumamoto Chuo CC to edge Murota by a stroke.