Hideyo Sugimoto Explained

Hideyo Sugimoto
Birth Date:16 February 1938
Birth Place:Tagata District, Shizuoka, Japan
Weight:90kg (200lb)
Status:Professional
Yearpro:1959
Extour:Japan Golf Tour
PGA Tour
Asia Golf Circuit
Prowins:18
Japwins:2
Asiawins:3 (Asia Golf Circuit)
Otherwins:16
Masters:T35: 1968
Usopen:CUT: 1968
Open:DNP
Pga:DNP

Hideyo Sugimoto (born 16 February 1938) is a Japanese professional golfer.

Early life

Sugimoto was born in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan in 1938. He started to play golf at the age of 17.[1]

Professional career

Sugimoto turned professional in 1959.[2] In the mid-1960s, he had much success. One of his first successes was at the 1963 Yomiuri International, the final tournament of the year on the Asia Golf Circuit, where he finished runner-up to American Doug Sanders.[3] Later in the year, in August, he recorded another runner-up performance against an international field, finishing solo second to Kel Nagle at the Lake Karrinyup Bowl in Perth, Australia.[4] In 1965, he won the Japan Open Golf Championship, the country's national open.

As of March 1968, Sugimoto was under a one year suspension by the Japanese PGA.[5] He attempted to make it onto the PGA Tour at Spring 1968 PGA Tour Qualifying School.[6] He was successful. Sugimoto played in fourteen events during the year, including the Masters and U.S. Open. He made the cut in nine events, including the Masters.[7]

In 1969, Sugimoto returned to Japan and had great success, winning six times in his home country and the Taiwan Open. During this era, Australian legend Peter Thomson considered Sugimoto and Kenji Hosoishi to be the best golfers in Japan.

During this the early 1970s, he had success with fellow Japanese professional Takashi Murakami, winning three events with him. Sugimoto's first win on the Japan Golf Tour, the 1973 All Nippon Doubles, was with Murakami. Sugimoto played on tour through the decade. One of his final top performances was at the 1978 Hiroshima Open where he finished second to Masashi Ozaki in a playoff.[8]

Professional wins (18)

PGA of Japan Tour wins (2)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-up
129 Jul 1973All Japan Doubles
(with Takashi Murakami)
−26 (100-101-61=262)
219 Aug 1973Suntory Open−14 (66-69-70-65=270)1 stroke Masashi Ozaki

PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (0–1)

Asia Golf Circuit wins (3)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory
Runner-up
16 Apr 1969Taiwan Open−4 (71-74-74-71=284)Playoff Hsu Chi-san
227 Feb 1972Philippine Open−2 (72-72-71-71=286)2 strokes Hsieh Yung-yo
318 Mar 1973Malaysian Open−11 (68-69-68-72=277)2 strokes Graham Marsh

Asia Golf Circuit playoff record (1–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11967Singapore Open Ben ArdaLost to par on second extra hole
21969Taiwan Open Hsu Chi-sanWon with par on first extra hole

Japanese circuit wins (13)

Results in major championships

Tournament19671968
Masters TournamentCUT[9] T35[10]
U.S. OpenCUT[11]
Note: Sugimoto never played in The Open Championship or the PGA Championship.
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team appearances

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hideyo Sugimoto – Player Profile . JGTO . 2019-11-18.
  2. Book: Alliss, Peter . The Who's Who of Golf . Peter Alliss . . 1983 . 0-85613-520-8 . 362.
  3. News: Sanders's Tokio win . 26 March 1963 . . 6.
  4. News: Big W.A. golf to Kel Nagle . 26 August 1963 . . 23.
  5. News: Thomson . Peter . 11 March 1968 . Top golfer a roly-poly . 19 . . Google News Archive.
  6. Book: Gould, David . Q-School Confidential: Inside Golf's Cruelest Tournament . St. Martin's Press . 1999 . 978-0312203559 . New York . 242–243.
  7. Web site: Hideyo Sugimoto – Profile . 2019-12-06 . PGA Tour.
  8. Web site: Hideyo Sugimoto – Tour Career Record . JGTO . 2019-11-18.
  9. News: Bert Has 67-73; Nicklaus Misses Cutoff With 151 . Associated Press . April 8, 1967 . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . 2019-12-06.
  10. Web site: Hideyo Sugimoto . Golf Major Championships . 2019-12-06.
  11. Web site: Scoring - U.S. Open History – 1968 . U.S. Open .