Who's who: Shigeki Maruyama

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Shigeki Maruyama

  • Name:

    Shigeki Maruyama
  • Also known as:

    Smiling assassin
  • Country:

    Japan
  • Born:

    Sept 12, 1969 in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.
  • Original/Home Club:

  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer
  • Turned Pro:

    1992

Roll of Honour

Presidents Cup player (1998, 2000). Multiple wins on the Japan and PGA Tours.

Did you know?

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.

Top tournaments won by Shigeki Maruyama

2009
Japan
Tokyo Yomiuri CC
271 (-9)
¥40million
Japan Tobacco

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Venue

Tokyo Yomiuri CC

Score

271 (-9)

Prize money

¥40million

Title sponsor

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].

2003
America
Forest Oaks CC
266 (-22)
$810,000
Chrysler

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Venue

Forest Oaks CC

Score

266 (-22)

Prize money

$810,000

Title sponsor

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].

2002
America
266 (-14)
$864,000
Verizon

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Score

266 (-14)

Prize money

$864,000

Title sponsor

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].

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Score

266 (-18)

Prize money

$558,000

Title sponsor

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.].

1999
Japan
268 (-20)
¥22million
Bridgestone

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Score

268 (-20)

Prize money

¥22million

Title sponsor

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].

1997
Japan
Central GC, Jpn
272 (-16)
¥18million
PGA of Japan

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Venue

Central GC, Jpn

Score

272 (-16)

Prize money

¥18million

Title sponsor

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].

1997
Japan
Tokyo Yomiuri CC
268 (-16)
¥30million
Hitachi

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Venue

Tokyo Yomiuri CC

Score

268 (-16)

Prize money

¥30million

Title sponsor

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].

1996
Japan
272 (-16)
¥21.6million
Bridgestone

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Score

272 (-16)

Prize money

¥21.6million

Title sponsor

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].

1995
Japan
274 (-14)
¥21.6million
Bridgestone

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Score

274 (-14)

Prize money

¥21.6million

Title sponsor

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].

1993
Japan
Ube 72 CC
264 (-20)
¥14.4million
Pepsi

Category

Japan

Winner (holder)

Maruyama, Shigeki

Venue

Ube 72 CC

Score

264 (-20)

Prize money

¥14.4million

Title sponsor

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].

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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).

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