PGA & WPGA TOURS OF AUSTRALASIA
Kabori, Perske & Horvath Win Titles at the Webex Players Series Murray River
New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori demonstrated resilience and determination as he secured a two-stroke victory at the Webex Players Series Murray River held at Cobram Barooga Golf Club. It was the 22-year-old’s first victory as a professional. Kabori won the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship as a 17-year-old amateur.
Kobori, who held a three-stroke lead into Sunday, closed with a stellar 3-under par round of 68, bringing his total to an impressive 21-under.
Singapore's Shannon Tan provided a spirited challenge posting a remarkable final round 65 in her professional debut to reach 19-under and claim solo second place.
Sibling rivalry added to the excitement over the weekend, with Kobori's older sister, Momoka Kobori, delivering a strong performance, tying for third place with Aussie duo Aaron Wilkin and Andrew Martin. The trio finished at 17-under and in a tie for third place.
Reflecting on his victory, Kobori acknowledged the nerve-wracking moments and drew inspiration from past experiences, including a previous win at the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship as an amateur. “It does feel like a lifetime ago because a lot has changed since then but it’s something that I still draw confidence from too,” said Kobori. “I’ve done it once, why can’t I do it again”, he added.
Having turned professional at the Queensland PGA Championship in November, Kobori's resilience shone through as he clinched his second Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title. “It was just nerve-wracking because I had that experience at Moonah, blew a six-shot lead,” Kobori said of his final round of 77 at Moonah Links in November.
“But I realised that it doesn’t change my life. It’s just another round of golf and having that experience freed me up today to be able to unleash on every single shot.”
Kono Matsumoto and Zach Murray achieved hole-in-ones at the par-3 ninth during the final round. However, it was Jess Whitting who handed in an “ace” on her card to scoop the pot. The 26-year-old drove away with a $93,000 BMW i4 eDrive35 grand coupe after holing out at the par-3 third in Round 3.
In other divisions of the Webex Players Series, Wayne Perske dominated the All Abilities category with rounds of 80-71, securing a seven-shot victory over defending champion Cameron Pollard. Meanwhile, Nicholas Horvath emerged victorious in the Junior Players Series, posting superb rounds of 70-68 for a 4-under total, outpacing Shepparton junior Bailey Goodall by six strokes, with Australian Amateur runner-up Amelia Harris claiming the third spot.
Final Scores
1. Kazuma Kabori -21
2. Shannon Tan -19
T3. Momoka Kabori -17
T3. Aaron Wilkin -17
T3. Andrew Martin -17
6. Steffanie Vogel -16
Image courtesy of Australian Golf Media Centre
