A new million dollar driver is set to be tested by Schoolboy Ryo Ishikawa, a young Japanese golf star.

The 17-year-old will test the club, which cost 100 million yen to develop by Japanese sports maker Yonex and could boost his distance off the tee to 350 yards, during the 2009 season.

The ball feels lighter somehow, Ishikawa told local media on Tuesday. It's a strange feeling. I've never hit it so far. I can have a real go at driving 350 yards now.

Ishikawa is already one of Japan's biggest sporting celebrities, finished tied for 13th to pass the million dollar barrier and shatter Shigeki Maruyama's record.

He became the youngest ever golfer to win more than $1 million in prize money in Japanese Golf tour in 2007, at age of 15.

He won his first tournament as a professional golfer last November at the ABC Championship after turning professional at the start of 2008.

Japan