Golf-Teenager Ishikawa thrilled to secure British Open place

By Tony Jimenez

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - Teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa will become one of the youngest professionals to compete in the British Open when he plays in golf's oldest major next month.

The 17-year-old from Japan secured his place in the July 16-19 event at Turnberry, Scotland with a three-shot victory in the Yomiuri Classic on Sunday.

"I'm thrilled to have qualified for the Open," Ishikawa told the championship's official website (www.opengolf.com) on Monday. "There were some tense moments but it all worked out in the end. I'm so excited."

Ishikawa, a household name in his homeland, became the second-youngest player to compete in the U.S. Masters when he received a special invitation to play at Augusta in April.

Joining him at Turnberry will be New Zealand's David Smail, who was second at the Yomiuri Classic, and Japanese pair Tomohiro Kondo and Kenichi Kuboya.

Yuta Ikeda and Koumei Oda also booked places at the Open as the leading two players, not already exempt, from the Japanese order of merit.

BASHFUL PRINCE