Missed cut part of the learning curve for teen Ishikawa

PACIFIC PALISADES, California (Reuters) - Japanese teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa described his PGA Tour debut as a good learning experience after missing the cut by three shots at the Northern Trust Open on Friday.

The 17-year-old from Saitama followed his nervous first-round 73 at Riviera Country Club with a level-par 71 that featured two birdies in his last four holes.

"I was really happy to be able to play on the PGA Tour," Ishikawa told reporters through an interpreter. "I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to play all four days but I did learn a lot.

"Yesterday I was really nervous, but not so much today. If you had to put a number on it, I was 100 percent nervous yesterday and 70 percent nervous today.

"But I played well and hit the driver really well all day," he added after registering two birdies and two bogeys on a Riviera layout that firmed up in the afternoon sun.

"I just wasn't able to follow up with some good iron shots and some good putts. I really need to work on my putting."

Ishikawa, playing this week on a Commissioner's foreign exemption, finally realized he would miss the cut after running up a three-putt bogey at the fifth, his 14th hole.

GOOD SWINGS

"I knew I was outside the cut and didn't have much of a chance," he said. "And finally I put some good swings on two irons at six and seven and birdied both of those holes."

He struck a five-iron off the tee to eight feet at the par-three sixth and a wedge approach to four feet at the par-four seventh.

"Even though I only played two days and missed the cut, I don't look at it as a failure," said Ishikawa, who is already one of the biggest sporting celebrities in Japan.

"It gives me more incentive to work harder on my game to be able to play at this level.

"Since I began golfing eight years ago, I've always dreamed to be able to perform on the PGA Tour. Being able to play here the last two days has been a dream come true for me."

Ishikawa, who last year became the youngest player to win 100 million yen ($1.11 million) in a single season on the Japanese tour, will make his second PGA Tour appearance at the March 19-22 Transitions Championship.

(Editing by John O'Brien)