ICONIC golfer Masashi Ozaki has died aged 78.
The Japanese Hall of Famer passed away following his fight with colon cancer.
The tragic news was confirmed by the Japan Golf Tour on Wednesday.
A statement read: “Mr Ozaki, known as ‘Jumbo’, passed away at 3:21 p.m. on December 23 due to colon cancer.
“He was an indispensable, one-of-a-kind figure in men’s golf, both now and in the future.
“Rest in peace.”
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Over three decades, Ozaki became a golf legend as he racked up a staggering 94 wins on the Japan Golf Tour.
Nicknamed Jumbo for his monster drives, the powerful and flamboyant star is credited with sparking a new love of golf in Japan.
Despite never winning a Major, Ozaki did compete in a staggering 49 of them – with his best finish a T6 at the 1989 US Open at Oak Hill.
After being inducted into the golf Hall of Fame in 2011, the humble star admitted: “I dedicated my life to Japanese golf.
“I am extremely grateful the voters thought I was worthy of this honour.”
But golf wasn’t even the first sport in which Ozaki had turned professional.
He was a baseball star in his native Japan up until the age of 23, a pitcher for the Nishitetsu Lions having led his high school team to the national championship.
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