THE 154TH OPEN

July 19, 2026

Kazuma Kobori

Mixed Zone

Q. Kazuma, what a fantastic week.

KAZUMA KOBORI: Thanks.

Q. You've got to take it all in stride. Can you sum up what this week has meant to you?

KAZUMA KOBORI: It was really good. It exceeded my expectations. I think today was a little bit disappointing, but overall like I feel like I had -- I gave everything I had. So I think the outcome that I got was probably a good representation of where I'm at.

Q. Currently sitting top 30 in a major championship, and it's your first weekend, first made cut of a major championship. What do you take from this experience, and how do you think you grow from here?

KAZUMA KOBORI: That's a good question. There was a lot of shots out there that I executed well that didn't end up in a great position, and I think that no amount of practice can help that because it's not a bad shot, right? If I'm hitting bad shots, then I can work on not hitting bad shots; I can make them better. But if I'm making good executions and they ended up in terrible positions, then that is something I need to kind of consider moving forward, and it's got nothing to do with the hours that I put in.

So that's the main thing, I think. Obviously a different assignment. It's very firm out there. But I just didn't do that very well.

Q. There are a few putts out there today maybe that you would have liked to have had back?

KAZUMA KOBORI: No, not really actually. Like I say, the ones that I hit how I wanted to, I'm very happy with those.

The one on 9 was a bit dicey, to be fair, but the one on 14 that I missed, the one on 17, they were both great putts, and they just didn't fall. Yeah, something to address moving forward.

Q. Ryan Fox has just made a birdie to tie the clubhouse lead, 9-under. What's your plan for the afternoon, watching Foxy come in?

KAZUMA KOBORI: Yeah, I'll probably get something to eat and then probably pick my stuff up. By then it should be perfect timing to see Foxy come down the stretch.

Q. Perfect. Do you feel any nerves sort of watching your fellow Kiwi in contention in a major championship, potentially creating history for New Zealand?

KAZUMA KOBORI: For sure. Who's leading at the moment, Si Woo?

Q. Cam Young is the clubhouse leader at 9-under, and Foxy's just hit a birdie to tie that. It's proving pretty hard to catch actually.

KAZUMA KOBORI: That's good. Foxy's been out here a long time. If it was me watching myself, I'd probably be nervous, but Pro's been through the ringer. He's been there.

Honestly, if I could pick a Kiwi to take that challenge on right now, if I could put anyone in his place, it's the guy that's out there right now. I've got all the faith in the world in him.

Q. You always appear cool, calm, and collected on the course. Is that a guise? Do you feel nervous at all when you're walking around? Are you nervous on the inside?

KAZUMA KOBORI: For me? No, not really. Friday usually because I want to make the cut. I really want to play the weekend. So I get pretty nervous on Fridays. Other than that, after that, I just take everything as a bonus. I'm very grateful to be here.

Q. Congratulations. We're so proud of you. You've put in a fantastic performance. It was wonderful to watch. All the best. I think it's only upwards for Kazuma Kobori.

KAZUMA KOBORI: Thank you. I appreciate it.