Attention is now firmly on Paris 2024 for Momoka Kobori after the New Zealander moved ever closer to fulfilling a “childhood dream” thanks to producing her best ever finish on the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The 25-year-old enjoyed a memorable week in Cape Town a fortnight ago finishing T2 behind Belgium’s Manon De Roey to cement her career best result on the circuit.
In the process, Kobori – who also finished T8 at last month’s NSW Women’s Open in Australia – shot up the Rolex Rankings to World No 289, a position which now sees her inside Olympic Golf qualification for the 2024 Paris Games.
“It was a really good week for me,” she said. “I was just really happy that I was able to put four solid rounds together in Cape Town. It’s been a while since I was able to do that after last year. It was really nice.
“Honestly it [the Olympics] has been one of my childhood dreams, so it’s great that I have the chance to have a go at it. It would obviously mean a whole lot for me to play. It’s not something everyone can say, that they’ve represented their country in the Olympics. Hopefully I will have a crack at making it but in the meantime I just to play as good as golf as possible and see what happens.”
This summer, 60 players from around the world will take to the fairways at Le Golf National for the third consecutive edition of golf at the Olympic Games.
Eligibility to compete will be determined by the Olympic Golf Rankings, which are calculated using a player’s position in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings as of June 24.
The top 15 players in the Rolex Rankings will qualify for the Olympics, with a four-person limit for each country represented in the top 15. From numbers 16 onwards eligibility will be based on Rolex Rankings. Each country that does not already have two or more players ranked inside the top 15 will have a two-person limit.
Should Kobori make the team, she will don her nation’s colours alongside two-time Olympic medallist and LPGA legend Lydia Ko, an icon she knows all too well.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play a few rounds with Lydia [Ko],” Kobori said. “There was a couple of team tournaments where I got to play a few rounds with her which was great. She’s one of the greatest people I know and someone I really look up to. So yeah, if I get the chance to play alongside her in the Olympics that would make it even better!“
As for this week, Kobori is teeing up in the second Aramco Team Series presented by PIF event of 2024 in Seoul where she will be hoping to continue her great form against a field which includes Charley Hull, Hyo-Joo Kim, Danielle Kang and Bronte Law.
“Having last week off was really nice,” Kobori said. “I was able to visit my family in Japan for a few days and wind down before the long stretch of events start. I’m feeling refreshed and ready ahead of a new week.
“I love the country. Love Seoul. Love the food here. It’s a pretty challenging course [New Korea Country Club] and I think it’s playing pretty long. But it’s pure so if I can play the solid golf that I’m able to, or that I know that I can, I’m confident it will go well.”
Aramco Team Series presented by PIF – Korea gets underway on Friday morning. Follow the 54-hole event @LETgolf on Instagram and X and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube – #RaiseOurGame #SeeTheImpact.
