JAPANESE TEENAGE sensation Ryo Ishikawa will make his first appearance on the 2010 PGA Tour at next month’s Northern Trust Open, the same event where he made his debut on the US circuit last year.

Ishikawa, already one of Japan’s biggest sporting celebrities, has been awarded a commissioner’s foreign exemption to compete in the February 4th-7th event at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

The multi-millionaire schoolboy was a major draw at Riviera last year, despite missing the cut, and he helped attract huge galleries for the tournament. His presence led the number of journalists attending the event to double.

“I look forward to returning to the United States and competing against the world’s best on the PGA Tour next month,” Ishikawa (18) said yesterday.

“I enjoyed my experience at the Northern Trust Open in 2009 and am excited about playing the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for the first time, as well as experiencing the matchplay format in the WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship.”

Ishikawa, who became the Japanese Tour’s youngest order of merit winner in 2009, has also been given a commissioner’s foreign exemption for the February 11th-14th Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

He will automatically qualify for the elite WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship, which takes place in Marana, Arizona, from February 17th-21st, as long as he maintains his place in the world’s top 50. He was ranked 30th at the start of this week.

Nicknamed the “Bashful Prince” because of his unassuming demeanour, he shot to fame in May 2007 when he became the youngest winner on the Japanese circuit at 15 years eight months.

The local media were quick to label him the “Japanese Tiger” and his marketability gave the Japanese Tour a timely boost.

Last month he was named his country’s top professional athlete for the second year running.