Top-10s for Kiwis Kobori, Alker, Hodge
- NZ Sports Wire
- Mar 24
- 3 min read
Several New Zealand golfers surged up the leaderboard in the final rounds of tournaments around the globe.
Canterbury golfer Kazuma Kobori was the biggest mover, firing an eight-under 64 in the third and final round of the DP World Tour's Singapore Classic on Sunday, rising 37 places into a tie for ninth.
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Kobori made nine birdies, including six on a blemish-free back-nine, for his best result on the European Tour, and best since finishing T15 at the Australian PGA Championship in November.
The 23-year-old started the final day at the Laguna National Resort Golf Club in 46th but shot the lowest round of the day to get to 11-under, finishing five strokes behind the winner, Englishman Richard Mansell.
Going off from the 10th, he made five birdies in his first six holes, adding another at the par-five 18th and more at the third, sixth and seventh before a lone bogey at the par-four ninth.
Fellow Kiwi Daniel Hillier closed with a three-under 69, featuring an eagle, five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey, to finish at seven-under in a share of 36th.
Steven Alker could not quite repeat his final round charge to victory from two weeks ago but still managed to go bogey-free and finish in the top-five.
Alker made an eagle and two birdies for a third straight four-under 67 in the third and final round at the PGA Tour Champions' Hoag Classic in California on Sunday (Monday NZT), ending at 12-under, three shots back of the winner, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
After just one birdie on the front-nine, the 53-year-old eagled the par-four 11th hole to give himself a chance but could not capitalise on some makeable putts on the back-nine.
On the PGA Tour, Ryan Fox finished with three birdies and a bogey in a two-under 69 in the final round at the Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday (Monday NZT), boosting him 18 spots to a tie for 47th at one-over, 12 strokes from the winner.
After a disappointing third round, Kiwi Tyler Hodge responded with a six-under 66 in the final round of the PGA Tour of Australasia's Heritage Classic on Sunday.
With an eagle, five birdies - including three in a five-hole stretch on the back-nine - and a bogey, Hodge climbed into a tie for eighth at 17-under, five shots back off the winner, Australian James Conran.
Tyler Wood was the next-best New Zealander, in a share for 26th at 12-under after a four-under 68, following by Jimmy Zheng (T28, 11-under) following a seven-under 65 and Kerry Mountcastle (T34, 10-under) after a two-under 70.
At the WPGA Tour Australasia's Women's NSW Open, Momoka Kobori and Amelia Garvey were the best Kiwis, finishing tied for 51st at even-par, well off the pace. Wenyung Keh was T58 at four-over and Hanee Song T67 at seven-over.
On the Asian Tour, Nick Voke finished in a share of 19th and Denzel Ieremia tied for 36th at the International Series Macau tournament.
Voke closed with two birdies and three bogeys in a one-over final round at the Macau Golf and Country Club on Sunday to slip out of the top-10, while Ieremia managed an even-par 70, with a pair of birdies and bogeys.
Lastly, at the HotelPlanner Tour's (former Challenge) Delhi Challenge in India, Taranaki left-hander Sam Jones posted a one-under 71 - with four birdies and three bogeys - to end tied for 33rd at nine-under.