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Kazuma Kobori

Kazuma Kobori
Personal information
Born (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001 (age 23)
Karuizawa, Japan
Sporting nationality New Zealand
ResidenceRangiora, New Zealand
Career
Turned professional2023
Current tour(s)PGA Tour of Australasia
Former tour(s)Charles Tour
Professional wins5
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour of Australasia4
Other1
Best results in major championships
Masters TournamentDNP
PGA ChampionshipCUT: 2024
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipCUT: 2024
Achievements and awards
PGA Tour of Australasia
Order of Merit winner		2023–24
PGA Tour of Australasia
Player of the Year		2023–24
PGA Tour of Australasia
Rookie of the Year		2023–24

Kazuma Kobori (born 25 October 2001) is a New Zealand professional golfer.[1] He won the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship as an amateur, as well as the individual title at the 2023 Eisenhower Trophy.[2]

Amateur career

In 2019, Kobori was runner-up at the Australian Boys' Amateur. He won the SEC NZ PGA Championship on the PGA Tour of Australasia and was runner-up at the Carrus Open on the Charles Tour.[3]

In 2023, Kobori cemented his position as New Zealand's top male amateur golfer. He won the Australian Amateur two strokes ahead of Arron Edwards-Hill of England.[4] He also won the Western Amateur at North Shore Country Club near Chicago, an Elite Amateur Series championship,[5] and captured the individual honors at the Eisenhower Trophy in Abu Dhabi. He was only the second New Zealander to win the individual title following Phil Tataurangi in 1992.[6] He claimed an early lead at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and ultimately finished 6th.[7]

Kobori started in five events on the 2023 PGA Tour of Australasia as an amateur and recorded three top-10s, including a tie for 6th at the New Zealand Open. He was awarded the Bledisloe Cup as the leading amateur.[8] He turned professional after finishing sixth at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Melbourne.[9]

Professional career

In November 2023, Kobori made his professional debut at the Queensland PGA Championship on the PGA Tour of Australasia where he finished in a tie for 9th, two strokes behind winner Phoenix Campbell. At the start of 2024, Kobori won three consecutive WebEx Players Series tournaments,[10] claiming the Order of Merit,[11] as well as being awarded with Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honours.[12][13]

Personal life

Kobori was born in Karuizawa, Japan, and moved to Canterbury, New Zealand, with his family when he was six. His older sister, Momoka, is also a golfer.[14] Kobori was educated at Rangiora High School.[15]

Amateur wins

  • 2017 Boys Championship of Victoria
  • 2018 Southland 54 Hole Strokeplay Championship, Boys Championship of Victoria
  • 2019 Canterbury Men's Stroke Play Championship, South Island Stroke Play Championship,
  • 2021 Southland 54 Hole Strokeplay Championship, Otago Strokeplay Championship, South Island Stroke Play Championship
  • 2022 Otago Strokeplay Championship, Canterbury Stroke Play, Muriwai Open
  • 2023 Australian Amateur, Western Amateur, Eisenhower Trophy (individual medalist)

Source:[16]

Professional wins (5)

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (4)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner-up
1 10 Mar 2019 SEC NZ PGA Championship
(as an amateur) 		−21 (67-65-66-69=267) 4 strokes New Zealand David Smail
2 21 Jan 2024 Webex Players Series Murray River −21 (65-66-64-68=263) 2 strokes Singapore Shannon Tan
3 28 Jan 2024 Webex Players Series Victoria −18 (66-66-65-69=266) 1 stroke Malaysia Ashley Lau
4 11 Feb 2024 Webex Players Series Sydney −24 (65-64-69-66=264) 1 stroke South Korea Jenny Shin

Charles Tour wins (1)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory 		Runner-up
1 24 Apr 2022 Autex Muriwai Open
(as an amateur) 		−10 (66-65-69-68=278) 4 strokes New Zealand Harry Bateman

Results in major championships

Tournament 2024
Masters Tournament
PGA Championship CUT
U.S. Open
The Open Championship CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the halfway cut

Team appearances

Amateur

References

  1. ^ "Kazuma Kobori". Japan Golf Tour. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  2. ^ "NZ golfer Kobori clinches Eisenhower Trophy prize". Radio New Zealand. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Amateur Kobori wins the NZ PGA Championship". Golf Australia. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Australian Amateur titles head overseas". Golf Australia. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  5. ^ Jourdan, Cameron (5 August 2023). "Kazuma Kobori wins 121st Western Amateur, captures Elite Amateur Series title". Golfweek. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Canterbury golfer becomes second Kiwi to win Eisenhower Trophy". Otago Daily Times. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Kazuma Kobori loses lead at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship". Stuff. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Kazuma Kobori". Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  9. ^ "Kobori and Jones move into the professional rank". Pacific Golfer. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  10. ^ Emanuel, Jimmy (11 February 2024). "Kobori clinches rare Aussie hat-trick". Golf Australia. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  11. ^ Webeck, Tony (12 March 2024). "Kobori crowned Order of Merit champion for 2023/2024". PGA of Australia. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Hannah Green crowned with second Greg Norman Medal". Australian Golf Digest. Australian Golf Media. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2024. Three-time winner and Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori was named Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year...
  13. ^ Webeck, Tony (17 March 2024). "Gale, Coletta join Kobori with DP World Tour cards". PGA of Australia. Retrieved 18 March 2024. Kobori was presented with the Von Nida Medal as Order of Merit champion and the Rookie of the Year trophy at the completion of the season-ending The National Tournament presented by BMW at The National Golf Club on Sunday.
  14. ^ Egan, Brendon (17 January 2021). "Momoka Kobori looks at coaching pathway after historic New Zealand golf win". Stuff. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  15. ^ Knowler, Richard (11 March 2019). "Teenage golf sensation Kazuma Kobori wins NZ PGA Championship and returns to school". Stuff. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Kazuma Kobori". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
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