Sport

NZ golfer Kazuma Kobori gets special invite to PGA Championship

06:43 am on 8 May 2024

Kazuma Kobori during the practice round at the New Zealand Open in February 2024. Photo: Photosport

Kazuma Kobori has gained another reward for claiming last season's Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, with the 22-year-old Kiwi set to make his major championship debut next week at the PGA Championship.

Following in the footsteps of the previous Order of Merit winner David Micheluzzi on the pathway provided for the region's best players to access the game's biggest events, Kobori has received a special invitation into the year's second men's major.

Australian Micheluzzi made his majors debut in last year's PGA Championship.

The invitation from the PGA of America was extended due to Kobori's victory on the season-long points list in Australasia, with the New Zealander's outstanding beginning to his professional career and achievements as an amateur clearly not going unnoticed around the world.

Kazuma Kobori of New Zealand during the 103rd New Zealand Open, Queenstown, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

After turning professional in November at the Queensland PGA, Kobori claimed three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia titles in the early months of 2024 on his way to the Order of Merit crown that had already secured him a DP World Tour card for next season.

Having planned on commencing his major career at the Open Championship at Royal Troon in July, another perk of winning his home Tour's Order of Merit, Kabori was only alerted in the early hours of Tuesday morning of his invitation to the PGA Championship.

The world No. 432 is now headed for Kentucky and Valhalla Golf Club with the opportunity to test his game against the world's best players.

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