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“It’s pretty unexpected": Kazuma Kobori named to make major debut at PGA Championship
Logan Swinkels • May 8th, 2024 8:39 am
The first year of Kazuma Kobori's professional golf career just gets better and better for the young New Zealander. Next week he will be teeing off in his first major after receiving a special invite to the PGA Championship.
Turning pro in November, the 22-year-old picked up three victories within his first ten starts - a feat not achieved by a rookie pro golfer since Tiger Woods.
Kobori's impressively consistent performances saw him claim the Order of Merit on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, securing a DP World Tour card, and now even greater challenges lie ahead.
“It’s pretty unexpected,” Kobori said Tuesday night.
“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.”
Currently ranked 432nd in the Official World Golf Rankings, the Japan-born Kiwi will go up against a top field at Valhalla Golf Club, including 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka and 2024 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. Fellow Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox will also be competing, following on from his T38 finish at Augusta in April.
Valhalla will host the second major of the year for the fourth time - Tiger Woods (2000) and Rory McIlroy (2014) won the previous two PGA Championships held at the Louisville, Kentucky course.
A number of LIV Golf players have also received special invites to join Joaquin Niemann, who was invited back in March. Patrick Reed, Dean Burmester, Lucas Herbert, Adrian Meronk, David Puig, and the 2023 LIV individual champion Talor Gooch will also tee off at Valhalla.
As part of winning the Order of Merit, Kobori will also compete at the 152nd running of The Open Championship, being held at Scotland's Royal Troon in July.
