Kobori, the 20-year-old Rangiora golfer, is defending his men’s title at the Otago strokeplay championships at Balmacewen this weekend.
It comes a year after he posted an 8-under 205 over three rounds to win the title for the first time at the Otago Golf Club.
Kobori clearly has an affinity for Dunedin courses. He won the South Island title at St Clair last year by a whopping 16 shots, carding four rounds in the 60s to finish at 24-under.
The youngster first really came to prominence when he became the first amateur to win the New Zealand PGA Championship in 2019.
He provides the star power this weekend but any number of locals will be keen to stop the title heading to a Canterbury golfer for a fourth straight year.
Otago No1 Tom Lee and provincial team-mates Ryan Bellamy, Callum Judkins, Jacob Bellamy and Brandon Hodgson are all in the 73-strong men’s field.
Ben Patston, who tied for third last year, and Phil Bungard are in good form and know the course extremely well.
Southland stalwart Matt Tautari, the 2018 champion, will be another to watch.
"It’s a really strong field," Otago Golf Club general manager Shelley Duncan said yesterday.
The women’s field has attracted 12 golfers.
"To have 85 in the total field in the current climate is really good," Duncan said.
Leading Otago representatives Yoonae Jeong and Sumin Kang, both representing Wakatipu, and Southland golfer of the year Robyn Boniface highlight the women’s field.
The event can be held at the Red light setting with the usual restrictions.
The first golfers tee off at 7.30am tomorrow. They play 36 holes on day one and 18 on Sunday.
