[Photo: Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia]
A day after recording a hole-in-one, New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori carded a sensational 63 to upstage big names such as former champions Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott on day two at the Australian PGA, before darkness suspended play Friday at Royal Queensland.
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Play was suspended just after 6.30pm Brisbane time due to darkness with more than 20 golfers still to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning.
Christchurch native Kobori registered five birdies in 12 holes at Royal Queensland to take the 36-hole lead at 10-under-par at the DP World Tour’s season opening event.
After a bogey at 14, Kobori bounced back with four consecutive birdies for a scintillating 63.
“That’s pretty cool,” Kobori said of a one-shot lead. “I struck the ball really well after I snap-hooked one into the trees on number 14. Something must have clicked and then I started flagging [iron shots close] and I was putting well all day.”
Northern Territorian Anthony Quayle, who has Tiger Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams on the bag, kept Kobori within range with a five-under 66 and he was nine-under with Australian Brett Rankin and China’s Wenyi Ding. A shot back at eight under was a group including PGA Tour winner Lee, the winner at Royal Queensland in 2023. LIV golf Miami winner Marc Leishman (68) and DP World Tour star Marco Penge (65) were among the players at seven under. Two-time Australian PGA winner Scott (68) was among a group at six under.
Quayle said he had become almost a different golfer with Williams on the bag, who helped Woods to 13 of his 15 majors and Scott to become the first Australian to win the Masters at Augusta in 2013.
“I guess his language and how he sort of delivers the message eliminates any doubt,” Quayle said.
Cameron Smith, the winner in 2022 at Royal Queensland, missed the cut to ensure early exits from all seven events this year that offered Official World Golf Ranking points (outside LIV).
