Major boost for young Kiwi
“It’s going to be my 18th tournament as a pro ... We’re going into the deep end so let’s do it.”
Kazuma Kobori
Rising Kiwi golf star Kazuma Kobori has some last-minute research to do after a surprise invitation to play in the PGA Championship next week.
Kobori has received a special invitation into the year’s second men’s major, reward for claiming last season’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
The invitation from the PGA of America was extended due to the 22-year-old’s victory on the season-long points list in Australasia.
He will now tee it up at the famous Valhalla club in Kentucky alongside the best golfers in the world.
It’s a rapid rise for the Cantabrian, who turned professional only in November last year and is ranked 432 in the world.
“It’s pretty nerve-racking, eh,” he said. “If you exclude pro-ams I think it’s going to be my 18th tournament as a pro ... We’re going into the deep end so let’s do it.”
He will head to Kentucky with good friend and fellow Kiwi golfer Tyler Wood as his caddie.
They’ll have plenty of work to do to get up to speed with Valhalla now the news has sunk in.
“It’s pretty unexpected,” Kobori said. “I got a WhatsApp message when I woke up this morning at 7 and my manager was like ‘congrats, you’re in the PGA’.
“I knew he was pushing for the invite but my world ranking is not as good as some of the other players so I didn’t think I’d get it, but I’m very grateful for his help,” Kobori said.
Kobori won three times on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this year en route to the Order of Merit crown, which secured him a DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour) card for next season. He had been expecting the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July to be his major debut (a perk of winning the Australasian order of merit).
Now he’ll be hitting up fellow Kiwi Ryan Fox for some last-minute tips.
But playing his own game next week is the big goal for Kobori, who is keen to benchmark himself against the world’s best.
“From what I can see the rough is really long so hitting the driver straight is going to be important.
“I want to be able to play my game so I have a really good understanding of where my game compares to everyone else in the world.”