Kazuma Kobori

Last updated

Kazuma Kobori
Personal information
Born (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001 (age 22)
Karuizawa, Japan
Sporting nationalityFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Residence Rangiora, 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

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]

Contents

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, 2 strokes behind winner Phoenix Campbell. At the start of 2024, he won three consecutive WebEx Players Series tournaments. [10]

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. [11] Kobori was educated at Rangiora High School. [12]

Amateur wins

Source: [13]

Professional wins (5)

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (4)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
110 Mar 2019 SEC NZ PGA Championship
(as an amateur)		−21 (67-65-66-69=267)4 strokes Flag of New Zealand.svg David Smail
221 Jan 2024 Webex Players Series Murray River −21 (65-66-64-68=263)2 strokes Flag of Singapore.svg Shannon Tan
328 Jan 2024 Webex Players Series Victoria −18 (66-66-65-69=266)1 stroke Flag of Malaysia.svg Ashley Lau
411 Feb 2024 Webex Players Series Sydney −24 (65-64-69-66=264)1 stroke Flag of South Korea.svg Jenny Shin

Charles Tour wins (1)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
124 Apr 2022 Autex Muriwai Open
(as an amateur)		−10 (66-65-69-68=278)4 strokes Flag of New Zealand.svg Harry Bateman

Team appearances

Amateur

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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. ↑ Egan, Brendon (17 January 2021). "Momoka Kobori looks at coaching pathway after historic New Zealand golf win". Stuff . Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  12. ↑ Knowler, Richard (11 March 2019). "Teenage golf sensation Kazuma Kobori wins NZ PGA Championship and returns to school". Stuff . Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Kazuma Kobori". World Amateur Golf Ranking. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
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