He became one of Hawaii's first full-time professional surfers, and in 1975 finished runner-up in the Duke Kahanamoku Classic and the Pro Class Trials.
Ho was already being called the world's finest "position" surfer, meaning he invariably placed himself in the most critical section of the wave using the simplest and cleanest line.
He often rode with a ramrod straight back, knees apart, his right arm distinctively held out from his body, hand dangling at the wrist.
Gregarious around friends and family, the mustachioed Ho kept a wary distance from the rest of the surf world, and was a somewhat shadowy figure during his 13 years (1976–88) on the pro tour.
On the North Shore, however, he was a competitive force for more than 25 years: a five-time Pipeline Masters finalist (winning in 1982, even though hobbled by a cast on his right wrist); an eight-time Duke finalist (winning in 1978 and 1981); a four-time winner of the Xcel Pro (1988, 1990, 1991, and 1996); a two-time Triple Crown winner (1983 and 1985); and a four-time competitor in the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave event at Waimea (finishing fourth in 1990).