Kazuma Kobori
Personal information
Born (2001-10-25) 25 October 2001
Karuizawa, Japan
Sporting nationality New Zealand
ResidenceRangiora, New Zealand
Career
Turned professional2023
Current tour(s)PGA Tour of Australasia
Professional wins1
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour of Australasia1

Kazuma Kobori (born 25 October 2001) is a New Zealand professional golfer.[1] He won the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship and 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

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.

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

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:[12]

Professional wins (1)

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)

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

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