Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora) showed consistent form through the House of Travel Tour to earn the top position not only with the best aggregate score over the nine rounds but also convincingly winning the Southland Stroke Play title by six shots from Southland's Liam Balneaves.
This year has seen the House of Travel Tour enhanced to include the Southland Stroke Play after the new initiative started in 2017 with the Canterbury Stroke Play and Otago Stroke Play. The three districts have financially supported the Tour along with sponsorship from the House of Travel to be able to provide travel vouchers for the top individual players over the three events. This initiative has helped to strengthen all three regional stroke play events with players travelling to these events that previously may not have entered.
Kobori narrowly missed winning the Canterbury Stoke Play title in a sudden death playoff with Dominic Brettkelly but left nothing to chance with a superb final round of 68 to win the Southland Stroke Play title on the Otatara course in Invercargill.
Jeong Hyun Lee (Christchurch) won the Women's Southland Stroke Play title from Invercargill's Robyn Pullar showing her class with rounds of 70, 70, 73 to finish 12 shots clear. Lee was a clear winner in the Women's House of Travel section finishing well ahead of Pullar.
Tom Parker (Christchurch) and Dominic Brettkelly (Hororata) also finished in the top 10 at both the Southland Stroke Play and Otago Stroke Play with Ben Baker (Russley) finishing tied for third at the Otago Stroke Play after consistent rounds of 72, 71, 70.
House of Travel Tour Winners
Open Men - Kazuma Kobori $1250 travel voucher
Runner Up Men - Liam Balneaves $750 travel voucher
U19 Men - Dominic Brettkelly $625 travel voucher
Open Women - Jeong Hyun Lee $625 travel voucher
Click here to view the House of Travel Tour Results
