Katayama looks to martial arts to improve swing

Shingo Katayama, who finished fourth at this year's Masters, is turning to traditional Japanese martial arts to improve his golf swing.

"I won't be getting much bigger physically, so I've been studying Japanese martial arts to see how they can help me improve," Katayama said Tuesday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. "I've been looking at things like Aikido and even Noh Theater to see how I can incorporate them into my golf swing."

Katayama's fourth place finish at Augusta matched Toshimitsu Izawa's performance in 2001 as the best finish among Japanese golfers at the Masters.

Katayama said beating 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman at the Match Play Championship in February gave him a huge confidence boost heading to Augusta.

That, and all the local attention focused on the Masters debut of Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa allowed Katayama to stay focused.

"Because of all the attention put on Ishikawa, I was able to concentrate from the practice rounds and that made a huge difference," Katayama said.

Katayama is a five-time money rankings winner on Japan's tour and said despite his success at the Masters, he plans to stay in Japan instead of challenging the U.S. PGA Tour.

"I've had some chances to play on the PGA Tour but to be active overseas is something that doesn't seem to suit me," added Katayama. "The Japanese tour is at a very high level so I will continue making my base here."

Katayama said Japanese golfers like Ishikawa and Ryuji Imada have the right idea in challenging overseas tours at a young age.

Katayama's next goal is the U.S. Open in June at Bethpage Black.

"It's an extremely difficult course," said Katayama. "But given my results so far this year I am really looking forward to it."

Katayama also offered up an explanation for his trademark cowboy hat.

"I always thought my face looked oversized so I decided to wear a hat that makes my face look smaller," Katayama said. "I tried on this cowboy hat a few years ago and won three out of the last four tournaments that year so decided the hat stays. Unfortunately, when I take the hat off my face still looks big to me."