On present form it’s hard to understand Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa is deserving of an Augusta National ‘Special Invitation’ to compete in next month’s Masters.

Ishikawa is currently ranked No. 53 in the world and at this stage has not automatically qualified for this year’s first Major.

The 20-year old Japan golfer has won 10 times in his short professional career and while he’s known as ‘The Bashful Prince’ a better nickname would be ‘Guinness’ as he just doesn’t travel.

All but one of Ishikawa’s victories have been in his homeland so putting it mildly he’s like a stale pint of the ‘black stuff’ when it comes to competing outside of the Land of the Rising Sun.

There’s already one player from Japan in the 2012 Masters field and that’s talented Hideki Matsuyama who successfully defended his Asian Amateur title to qualify for Augusta.

So Japan is already represented in the Masters without the inclusion of Ishikawa.

Ryo Ishikawa - Is there others more deserving of an Augusta 'Special Invitation' than the 'Bashful Prince'.

Augusta Chairman, Billy Payne stated the reason for affording Ishikawa a ‘Special Invitation’ was about ‘increasing interest’ in Japan.

“Historically, the Masters has invited international players not otherwise qualified to expand the Tournament’s global reach,” Payne said.

“Ryo Ishikawa is an accomplished player on the Japan Golf Tour, and we believe his presence will help increase interest not only in his home country, but also throughout Asia.”

Ishikawa secured his best Masters finish last year in being placed 20th but Ishikawa also missed the halfway cut in 2009 and 2010 and in eight rounds of Augusta National is still yet to break 70.

There would seem far more deserving players for ‘Special Invitations’ including the South African duo of Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, who between them have given good service to Augusta National.

Goosen is lying 52nd in the world and one place behind Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and one place in front of Ishikawa.

Jimenez is already in the field but while Augusta National has decided to pluck the young Japan player from those just outside the top-50 they’ve done so by denying Goosen who has competed at Augusta 13 times.

Goosen has finished runner-up twice and third twice and it’s hoped that 13 is not the South African’s unluckly number and he does well at this week’s WGC – Cadillac Championship and breaks back inside the top-50.

Els is ranked 65th in the world and apart from 2005 U.S. PGA has contested every Major Championship since being placed seventh in the 1993 U.S. Open.

That statistic also includes every Masters since making his debut in 1994, and the triple Major winner does more than just play golf because every time he’s present inside the ropes competing he’s also promoting an awareness for helping cure autism.

And Els has long been a global player and that’s something Ishikawa could well adopt and start spreading himself more around the world than just shelter for the most part in his homeland.

Then there’s Italy’s sensational ‘standout’ Matteo Manassero, currently ranked 62nd in the world, as well as England Robert Rock who endeared himself to golf fans around the world by keeping Tiger Woods at arms reach to capture the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Why not grant them ‘Special Invitations’?

Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts is another ‘standout’ and just outside the top-50 at  68th in the world and like Rock has never had the pleasure of driving down Magnolia Lane.

This year’s Masters is also without French, Chinese, Dutch, India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysian representation. 

Could it be the extremely lucrative pulling power of Japanese TV compared to that of Italian, Belgium, French, Chinese, India and Thai television?  

We’ll let you answer that question.

With effectively three weeks of qualifying remaining the present ‘world’ make-up of the 76th Masters is as follows:-

Argentina  1 player; Australia  – 5 players;  Canada – 1 player;  Denmark -2 players;  England – 7 players;  Fiji – 1 player;  Germany – 2 players;  Ireland – 1 player;  Italy – 2 players;  Japan – 2 players;  Korea – 4 players;  Northern Ireland – 2 players;  Scotland – 2 players;  South Africa – 5 players;  Spain – 5 players;  Sweden – 4 players;  USA – 45 players;  Wales – 1 player.

That’s a field at present of 92 players and just one short of last year’s field of 93 but still well short of the Augusta National record of 103 in 1966.