Aaron Pike wins playoff for TPS Hunter Valley title
Pike with his TPS Hunter Valley trophy – photo PGA of Australia
Queensland’s 37-year-old Aaron Pike has today won his third PGA Tour of Australasia title with a playoff victory over 22-year-old New Zealander, Momoka Kobori, in the mixed gender event, the TPS Hunter Valley, played at the Cypress Lakes Resort in Pokolbin, New South Wales.
It took three playoff holes before the deadlock could be broken after both players finished at 8 under par in the weather reduced 54 hole event, Pike eventually taking the title with a short birdie putt to claim the first prize of $36,000 dollars.
“I didn’t feel like I was doing much wrong to be honest”, the 36-year-old said following the victory.
“This golf course doesn’t give its shots up easy so I knew someone in front of me might be playing well but they’re not going to be seven or eight-under through 10 holes.
“I couldn’t believe she was four-under through nine. I don’t know what golf course she was playing. She’s obviously playing like a gun at the moment.”
“It’s a matter of time until she wins, not if.”
Pike’s last victory came when successful at the NT PGA Championship in the state in which he was raised in the Northern Territory in late 2020, but his form in the early part of 2022 has been solid with a 6th place at the Australian PGA Championship and an 8th place at the Vic Open.
Pike was a teammate of Jason Day during the period both attended the Hills International College in Jimboomba south of Brisbane in the early 2000’s and gained attention when he led then finished 4th behind Justin Rose at the Australian Masters in 2006 as a 20 year old amateur.
Injury has been a constant companion in the career of Pike but he has shown that when healthy, he has the game to finish as high as third in the Australian Open in 2019 and that amazing finish at Huntingdale in 2006.
Kobori was born in Karuizawa in Japan but raised in Rangiora north of Christchurch before attending Pepperdine College in California where she accrued a very successful collegiate golfing career.
The 22-year-old has played well in the combined gender events on the PGA and WAPGA Tours in recent weeks and will no doubt look to taking her game internationally before long.
Kobori’s brother Kazuma won the New Zealand PGA Championship as a 17 year old amateur she fell just short of becoming the very first brother and sister duo to win events on the PGA Tour of Australasia or anywhere for that matter.
Queenslanders Lawry Flynn, Brad Kennedy, Victorian Ben Wharton and New South Wales Cassie Porter all tied for 3rd place.
The next event on the PGA Tour of Australasia will be next week’s NSW Open at the Concord golf Club in Sydney.
Momoka Kobori – photo PGA of Australia
