In 1992, he turned professional. He is known for his ever-present smile on the golf course which has given rise to his nickname of the "Smiling Assassin." He began his career on the Japan Golf Tour, quickly becoming one of the leading players on that tour. Two excellent finishes in World Golf Championships events in 1999 helped to earn him membership of the U.S.-based PGA Tour for the 2000 season. He has three PGA Tour victories. At the end of the 2008 season he announced he was returning to Japan after failing to maintain full playing rights on the PGA Tour.
Maruyama was a member of The International Team in the Presidents Cup in 1998 and 2000. He had a 5–0–0 win–loss–tie record in the 1998 matches.
On 5 June 2000, he shot a first round 58 at Woodmont Country Club (South Course) in Rockville, Maryland while qualifying for the 2000 U.S. Open. This round ties the score achieved by Jim Furyk on the final round of the Travelers Championship on 2016.
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
WD = withdrew
"T" = tied
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.