Shigeki Maruyama
Name:
Shigeki MaruyamaAlso known as:
Smiling assassinCountry:
JapanBorn:
Sept 12, 1969 in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.Original/Home Club:
Occupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
1992Presidents Cup player (1998, 2000). Multiple wins on the Japan and PGA Tours.
Maruyama, sometimes called the "smiling assassin" due to his ever-present smile on the golf course, is one of the best Japanese golfers of the modern era. He recorded victories on the PGA Tour in three consecutive years (2001, '02 & '03), but now plays mainly on the Japan Tour.
Japan
Japan Tobacco
Played as the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup (Dec 3-6; Japanese major ch'ship and season-ending event). Maruyama (Jpn) beat Kyung-tae "K.T." Kim (S Kor) with a par at the fourth playoff hole (par-3 18th), to claim his 10th and last Japan Tour win. [Tokyo Yomiuri CC, Inagi, nr Tokyo, Japan].
America
Chrysler
Played as the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (Oct 16-19). Second-placed Brad Faxon (USA) finished 5 strokes behind Maruyama (Jpn), who recorded the last of his three PGA Tour wins. [Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, NC].
America
Verizon
Played as the Verizon Byron Nelson Classic (May 9-12). Second-placed Ben Crane (USA) finished 2 shots behind Maruyama (Japan), who won his second PGA Tour title. [TPC course, Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, nr Dallas, TX. Early rounds also on the Cottonwood Valley course].
America
x
Played as the Greater Milwaukee Open (July 12-15). 31-year-old Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) beat Charles Howell III (USA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole, to record the first of his three PGA Tour wins. [Brown Deer Park GC, Brown Deer, nr Milwaukee, Wisc.].
Japan
Bridgestone
Played as the Bridgestone Open (Oct 21-24; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Toshimitsu Izawa (Jpn) finished 5 shots behind Maruyama (Jpn), who this event for the third time in five years. [Sodegaura course, Sodegaura CC, Chiba, Jpn].
Japan
PGA of Japan
Played as the Japan PGA Championship (May 15-18; Japanese major ch'ship). Second-placed Shusaku Sugimoto (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind Maruyama (Jpn), who won his first Japanese "major". [West course, Central GC, Namegata, Ibaraki].
Japan
Hitachi
Played as the Golf Nippon Series Hitachi Cup (Dec 4-7; Japanese major ch'ship). Second-placed Tateo "Jet" Ozaki (Jpn) finished 2 shots behind Maruyama (Jpn). [Tokyo Yomiuri CC, Inagi, nr Tokyo, Japan].
Japan
Bridgestone
Played as the Bridgestone Open (Oct 17-20; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Brian Watts (Can/USA) finished 2 shots behind defending champion Maruyama (Jpn). [Sodegaura course, Sodegaura CC, Chiba, Jpn].
Japan
Bridgestone
Played as the Bridgestone Open (Oct 19-22; Japan Tr event). Second-placed Masashi "Jumbo" Ozaki (Jpn), Mark Calcavecchia (USA) and Shinichi Yokota (Jpn) finished 3 shots behind Maruyama (Jpn), who claimed his second Japan Tour win. [Sodegaura course, Sodegaura CC, Chiba, Jpn].
Japan
Pepsi
Played as the Pepsi Ube Kosan Open (May 20-23). Second-placed Todd Hamilton (USA) finished 2 shots behind first-time Japan Tour winner Maruyama (Jpn). [Ube 72 CC, Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan].
Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).
Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24).
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Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
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