Who is Kazuma Kobori? All you need to know about 21-year-old Elite Amateur Series champion

Kazuma Kobori is an amateur golfer from New Zealand. He recently won the 121st Western Amateur after defeating Christiaan Maas at North Shore Country Club.

The amateur golfer has won five events so far in his career and after winning the Western Amateur, he earned an exemption to the 2023 US Amateur, one event of the Korn Ferry Tour. He also got and an exemption in the final qualifying round of the 2024 US Open. The victory gave him the 2023 Elite Amateur Series title.

The Kiwi golfer took 2 up lead at the beginning of the final round of the Western Amateur. However, Maas birdied the ninth and 10th holes to take a one-stroke lead over Kobori. However, Kobori quickly birdies the par-5 12th hole to turn the game in his favor. They squared up on the 17th. But, in the end, everything went in New Zealanders' favor.

On the 17th, Kazuma Kobori found a fairway shot while Maas' ball landed behind a tree and he was unable to move the ball to the hole. Meanwhile, Kobori played conservatively, making a two-putted stroke to the greens for a par and advancing to the final with a one-up lead.

Kobori won the tournament with a birdie on the 18th hole. Speaking of his victory, the amateur golfer said via Golf Channel:

“For me to be holding this (trophy) right now is unreal. I was pretty nervous, and thought I’d try to give it a run. Christiaan putted so well all day I figured I needed to give it a go and I’m just glad it went in.”

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Kazuma Kobori's tournaments results

Kobori began the new year with a T23 finish at the Masters of the Amateurs. He went on to win the 2023 Australian Men's Amateur before finishing T5 at the 2023 Avondale Amateur.

In 2023, he won two events and finished in the top ten three times. So far, he has had a good amateur career.

Kazuma has won five amateur titles: the 2019 South Stroke Play, the 2021 New Zealand Stroke Play, the 2021 Southland Stroke Play, the 2023 Australian Men's Amateur, and the 2023 Western Amateur.

The following are the results of all amateur events in which Kazuma Kobori has competed:

2023

• Western Amateur Win
• Pacific Coast Amateur T20
• U.S. Amateur Qualifying Qualifier
• Southern Amateur T7
• Trans-Miss Championship T8
• North & South Amateur Final 16
• Northeast Amateur T22
• Sunnehanna Amateur T30
• Avondale Amateur Medal T5
• Australian Men's Amateur Winner
• Master of the Amateurs T23

2022

• Nomura Cup 8
• Asia-Pacific Amateur T24
• Men's World Amateur Team T76
• Southern Amateur T21
• Australian Men's Amateur T12
• Riversdale Cup T9
• Southland Stroke Play 3

2021

• New Zealand Stroke Play Winner
• Southland Stroke Play Winner

2020

• New Zealand Amateur Final 32
• New Zealand Amateur Medalist
• New Zealand Stroke Play 2
• Riversdale Cup T4
• Avondale Amateur Medal T10
• Master of the Amateurs T41

2019

• New Zealand Amateur Final 32
• Asia-Pacific Amateur T35
• Mexican National Amateur T16
• New Zealand Stroke Play 2
• Southland Stroke Play Winner

2018

• New Zealand Amateur Final 32