Kobori Sets New Mark

Double triumph for Kobori at Taranaki Open

When we look back at this year, The Taranaki Open will be one of the more memorable events in the 2020 New Zealand Golf calendar.

The Taranaki Open returned to the Jennian Homes Charles Tour for the first time since 2017, all golf on Thursday was abandoned due to high winds, and Kieran Muir overcame a four shot deficit on Sunday to win his second Jennian Homes Charles Tour event by four strokes.

Not to mention Canterbury amateur Momoka Kobori’s performance.

She has a healthy sibling rivalry with her brother Kazuma and heading into Sunday, she sat three shots back of her younger brother at four-under following rounds of 69 and 71. She was also three shots clear of her nearest female competitor Tara Raj.

After a final round of six-under 66, Kobori would catapult herself up the leaderboard into a tie for second at 10-under par, finish as the leading amateur, overtake her brother on the leaderboard and claim bragging rights, and also have the best finish by a female in a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event since the events became mixed gender.

She says she’s really happy with her performance.

“I’m really happy that I was able to finish off the week with a good a good round. Beating my brother and finishing as the low amateur make it even better,” she laughs.

Kazuma has beaten her in the last two Jennian Homes Charles Tour events over the past two weeks. At the DVS Pegasus Open Kazuma finished in a share of fifth while Momoka missed the cut, and at The Carrus Open Kazuma finished in a tie for nineth whereas Momoka finished in a tie for 36^th.

Momoka says she’s happy to make the tally two a piece heading into the Christies Floorings Mount Open; the final Jennian Homes Charles Tour event of the year.

“There is always some sibling rivalry whenever we play in the same events as each other and we are always trying to beat each other.

“It feels pretty good to get him back after the last two weeks,” she smiles.

Momoka also says she enjoys playing against the guys and is proud of her finish this week.

“I enjoyed playing against the guys. There aren’t too many places in the world where women can test themselves against the guys in the same field in a competitive tournament. I found it a real challenge because they tend to play a different game to what I play, and I think I can learn a lot from what they do.

“I think it’s a really positive thing for women’s golf.”

Darae Chung previously had the best finish by a female since Jennian Homes Charles Tour events became mixed gender, when she finished in a share of nineth at The Carrus Open.