December 13, 2024 • 10 mins
Canterbury golfer Momoka Kabori is home for a well-earned break after a busy year playing in the European Women's Golf Tour.
In association with The Elmwood Trading Company, Kabori spoke with Lesley about her second year on the tour, the things she’s learned about herself and playing professional golf for a living.
Plus, she gave her highlights from finishing second at both the South African and Indian Opens, and finishing the year in 26th place in the Order of Merit.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Keeping it red and black. It's Canterbury's all Sport Breakfast
with Leslie Murdock thanks to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's
most trusted home field on us.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Talks EDB First. This first, I must say, are the
words this my head.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hues talks 'DB. It's twenty three away from nine o'clock.
Well again, it's a great pleasure to have back on
here with us. I was having a look through my
files and I think the last time we spoke to
Momoka Kabori was in June twenty twenty three, so it
is now December twenty twenty four, and it's timely that
we have this catch up and association with the Elmwood
Trading Company and we welcome Momoka back to the air waves.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Great to have you back in christ Church. And what
a year you've had. You have been so incredibly busy.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Oh thanks for having me first, Aul. Yeah, it's actually
been a very very busy year. Just being back in
back home for a couple of weeks and it's actually
been really nice to kind of stay in one place.
But yeah, it's been a pretty busy but eventful and
exciting year.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
For me, Well, when you think that you're in your
second year on the Ladies European Tour, currently twenty six
on the let Order of Merit and finishing second equal
in both the South African Women's Open and India Women's Open,
you have to be one of the most traveled golfers
this year. Twenty three events, thirteen countries. Wow, you must
(01:30):
be exhausted.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, it's actually been a lot of trouvel Yeah, I
mean that's probably one of the I mean, one of
the cool things about the Ladies European Tour, you know,
the fact that we get to travel to so many
different countries throughout the year and to be able to
see all those different places as it's really cool. But
like you said, it is a lot of trouble, quite
(01:54):
of a long haul travel, so that kind of took
a little bit of getting used to to me. But
I do enjoy that the fact that we get to
see all those different places for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And don't let's not forget that last week you won
the Pigosus Pro Am as well, and that's kept off
twenty twenty four. But when you think about the Order
of Merit that you're sitting twenty six. Is that were
you expected to be about when twenty twenty four started.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Look, to be honest with you, probably not. I mean,
after coming off my first year on tour and having
to go back to Q school and you know, going
through a few few changes here and there, I think,
I mean, my goal leading into the year was to
retain my full status, which is the top seventy on
(02:44):
the rankings, and so I probably wasn't expecting you know,
what I had managed to do this year, which which
is pretty exciting. I mean, if you told me that
I'll be finishing, you know, if I could get my
twenty six flot on the spot at the start of
the year, then I definitely would have would have taken
it for sure. So yeah, really happy with how it
(03:04):
all turned out in the end.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So, America, what and where in your game do you
think you've made the gains?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I think it's been. It's funny because from last year,
like in terms of my technical side of things, yes,
like I've definitely improved, probably more of the consistency side
of things across across the board. It's actually probably more
the changes I've made off the golf course in terms
of preparation planning out the week stuff like that. That's
(03:36):
actually made probably the most difference that I'll probably credit
the results from this year too, But yeah, it's quite interesting.
I mean, technically, I don't think I've made that many
drastic changes from last year to this year, you know,
not enough to be you know, comparing the two two
(03:57):
results from the two years. But yeah, I feel like
golf is such a sport where a lot of things
you do off the golf course it does have like
a direct impact on how you perform. So I feel
like that's probably an area that I've gotten a lot
better at and have kind of learned from my rookie
year on tour. So yeah, I'm really happy that I
(04:19):
was able to kind of take the learning from the
first year and then apply it to my second. So yeah,
I do I kind of try and hope to do
be able to do the same and build on it
next year as well.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And what about fitness, because that is an important part,
isn't that?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, I mean that's probably another one that
I've tried to focus on, probably haven't done as good
of a job then I would like to, being completely honest,
But yeah, definitely that's a huge part, and especially because
if you combine like the long haul travels that we
(04:55):
have each week and the fact that you know, we
have fourth horn, you know, one program before and one
or two practice days, then it does become acquired quite
a lot when you're doing that week after week. So
I think, yes, like kind of training to keep that
to a higher standard as well, but also kind of
(05:17):
being sensible at times and kind of knowing what the
priorities are going to be and trying to be efficient
with your preparation and stuff I think was really helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Is there good friendship on tour with the other golfers
because you're seeing the same faces I guess a lot
of the time.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, That's actually one of the things that
I actually love about the tour, about this tour, And yeah,
you're right, like we see the same faces every week.
We all give or take have the same schedule. So
it's actually quite funny when we're traveling from one place
or the other one airport to another. You walk around
(05:56):
the airport and just see so many faces that you
know and be like, oh, there's a golf there's another one,
there's another one down there. But it is quite fun yeah,
I do love that about this tool. You know the
fact that we have a pretty diverse range of players
as well, which is really cool. So I mean a
lot of them, a lot of the girls are from Europe,
(06:17):
but we have a lot from you for who from
over in the States, few from Australia and New Zealand
over in Asia. So it's actually really cool to be
able to, i mean, be able to interact with everyone
from different countries. But also we do have a pretty
pretty good you know, like friendships, relationships you know, around
(06:37):
the tool, which is really cool. It does definitely help
when you're when you're out there competing week after week
to be able to have that sort of you know, Commarderie,
I guess amongst the players for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Absolutely. So highlights for twenty twenty four for you, and
what are your aspirations for twenty twenty five?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Yeah, look, I think highlights highlights wise, like results wise
on the golf course. The two runner up places I've
had this year in South Africa and India. I think
India particularly, I had a really strong finishing off five
holes actually, I yeah, finished really strong in the final
(07:21):
round to get myself up into two within one of
being in the playoff and it was a little bit
gutting to to finish, to come up one short, knowing
that there are deffinitely ely areas that I could have
picked up a shot or two throughout the round, but
I mean that's kind of how it goes, I guess.
So yeah, so those are definitely my highlights for the year.
(07:44):
Next year, I were definitely one of my goals is
to go step further, get that went on tour and
also finish in the in the top ten of the
Order of Merit. So yeah, so those will be my
goals that I've set for myself next year.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
On call fantastic. And what will the Christmas break look
like for the Kabori family.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, that's it's probably going to be a few more
days of not touching golf clubs, to be honest with you.
I mean, both my brother and I we came back
after a pretty pretty busy year and so yeah, we'll
probably take a few more days off. We actually went
off road motor bike riding yesterday, so that was a
lot of fun. We don't want to be breaking anything before, no,
(08:31):
that would be pretty careful around there, but it was
a lot of fun. Yeah, probably do. Well, we're pretty
outdoors they as a family, so we'll probably go through
a few things just you know, the four of us
together while we're while we are home, and then probably
get back into it probably early next week and again
just start kind of getting into the group of things
(08:52):
and start working on things that we've set for ourselves
during the off season. But yeah, that's probably going to
be what it's going to look like. It's definitely good
to have the whole family back for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Oh absolutely. And you know, in terms of getting that
freshness back again, I mean you clearly still love it.
You're loving what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, yeah, no, And I'm very lucky to be able
to do what I love for a job as well.
And like, look, it does it's you know, it's not
all you know, happy days every single day, but NEI,
there is any other job, and I'm very I do
love the travel. I do love the environment that I've
(09:32):
got right now, like the people that I get to
spend time with a lot of my friends on tour
and stuff like that. So yeah, like, of course I
still love love competing in the golf side of things,
but also a lot of these other things that I
really enjoy is. Yeah, it definitely helps.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
And just quickly, did you see Lydia cow at all
on tour anyway?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Oh? I did not this year. I don't think I
did last year. A couple of the events, hopefully there's
a couple events that I've managed to get myself into
from my status for twenty twenty five. Really really hoping
that I'll get the chance to case up with her
at one of those ones.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Oh fantastic. A. Look, you've been brilliant. We love chatting
to you. You've done so well and we're so proud
of you. And all we can say is keep up
the fantastic golf. Mamokah Kabori, and thank you very much
for coming on here with us.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Thank you, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Thanks for having me again. It's great to chat to you.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
Keeping it red and black. It's Canterbury's all Sport Breakfast
with Leslie Murdock thanks to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's
most trusted home field on us.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Talks EDB First. This first, I must say, are the
words this my head.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hues talks 'DB. It's twenty three away from nine o'clock.
Well again, it's a great pleasure to have back on
here with us. I was having a look through my
files and I think the last time we spoke to
Momoka Kabori was in June twenty twenty three, so it
is now December twenty twenty four, and it's timely that
we have this catch up and association with the Elmwood
Trading Company and we welcome Momoka back to the air waves.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Great to have you back in christ Church. And what
a year you've had. You have been so incredibly busy.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Oh thanks for having me first, Aul. Yeah, it's actually
been a very very busy year. Just being back in
back home for a couple of weeks and it's actually
been really nice to kind of stay in one place.
But yeah, it's been a pretty busy but eventful and
exciting year.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
For me, Well, when you think that you're in your
second year on the Ladies European Tour, currently twenty six
on the let Order of Merit and finishing second equal
in both the South African Women's Open and India Women's Open,
you have to be one of the most traveled golfers
this year. Twenty three events, thirteen countries. Wow, you must
(01:30):
be exhausted.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yeah, it's actually been a lot of trouvel Yeah, I
mean that's probably one of the I mean, one of
the cool things about the Ladies European Tour, you know,
the fact that we get to travel to so many
different countries throughout the year and to be able to
see all those different places as it's really cool. But
like you said, it is a lot of trouble, quite
(01:54):
of a long haul travel, so that kind of took
a little bit of getting used to to me. But
I do enjoy that the fact that we get to
see all those different places for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And don't let's not forget that last week you won
the Pigosus Pro Am as well, and that's kept off
twenty twenty four. But when you think about the Order
of Merit that you're sitting twenty six. Is that were
you expected to be about when twenty twenty four started.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Look, to be honest with you, probably not. I mean,
after coming off my first year on tour and having
to go back to Q school and you know, going
through a few few changes here and there, I think,
I mean, my goal leading into the year was to
retain my full status, which is the top seventy on
(02:44):
the rankings, and so I probably wasn't expecting you know,
what I had managed to do this year, which which
is pretty exciting. I mean, if you told me that
I'll be finishing, you know, if I could get my
twenty six flot on the spot at the start of
the year, then I definitely would have would have taken
it for sure. So yeah, really happy with how it
(03:04):
all turned out in the end.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So, America, what and where in your game do you
think you've made the gains?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I think it's been. It's funny because from last year,
like in terms of my technical side of things, yes,
like I've definitely improved, probably more of the consistency side
of things across across the board. It's actually probably more
the changes I've made off the golf course in terms
of preparation planning out the week stuff like that. That's
(03:36):
actually made probably the most difference that I'll probably credit
the results from this year too, But yeah, it's quite interesting.
I mean, technically, I don't think I've made that many
drastic changes from last year to this year, you know,
not enough to be you know, comparing the two two
(03:57):
results from the two years. But yeah, I feel like
golf is such a sport where a lot of things
you do off the golf course it does have like
a direct impact on how you perform. So I feel
like that's probably an area that I've gotten a lot
better at and have kind of learned from my rookie
year on tour. So yeah, I'm really happy that I
(04:19):
was able to kind of take the learning from the
first year and then apply it to my second. So yeah,
I do I kind of try and hope to do
be able to do the same and build on it
next year as well.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
And what about fitness, because that is an important part,
isn't that?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah? Absolutely, Yeah, I mean that's probably another one that
I've tried to focus on, probably haven't done as good
of a job then I would like to, being completely honest,
But yeah, definitely that's a huge part, and especially because
if you combine like the long haul travels that we
(04:55):
have each week and the fact that you know, we
have fourth horn, you know, one program before and one
or two practice days, then it does become acquired quite
a lot when you're doing that week after week. So
I think, yes, like kind of training to keep that
to a higher standard as well, but also kind of
(05:17):
being sensible at times and kind of knowing what the
priorities are going to be and trying to be efficient
with your preparation and stuff I think was really helpful.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Is there good friendship on tour with the other golfers
because you're seeing the same faces I guess a lot
of the time.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, That's actually one of the things that
I actually love about the tour, about this tour, And yeah,
you're right, like we see the same faces every week.
We all give or take have the same schedule. So
it's actually quite funny when we're traveling from one place
or the other one airport to another. You walk around
(05:56):
the airport and just see so many faces that you
know and be like, oh, there's a golf there's another one,
there's another one down there. But it is quite fun yeah,
I do love that about this tool. You know the
fact that we have a pretty diverse range of players
as well, which is really cool. So I mean a
lot of them, a lot of the girls are from Europe,
(06:17):
but we have a lot from you for who from
over in the States, few from Australia and New Zealand
over in Asia. So it's actually really cool to be
able to, i mean, be able to interact with everyone
from different countries. But also we do have a pretty
pretty good you know, like friendships, relationships you know, around
(06:37):
the tool, which is really cool. It does definitely help
when you're when you're out there competing week after week
to be able to have that sort of you know, Commarderie,
I guess amongst the players for sure.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Absolutely. So highlights for twenty twenty four for you, and
what are your aspirations for twenty twenty five?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Yeah, look, I think highlights highlights wise, like results wise
on the golf course. The two runner up places I've
had this year in South Africa and India. I think
India particularly, I had a really strong finishing off five
holes actually, I yeah, finished really strong in the final
(07:21):
round to get myself up into two within one of
being in the playoff and it was a little bit
gutting to to finish, to come up one short, knowing
that there are deffinitely ely areas that I could have
picked up a shot or two throughout the round, but
I mean that's kind of how it goes, I guess.
So yeah, so those are definitely my highlights for the year.
(07:44):
Next year, I were definitely one of my goals is
to go step further, get that went on tour and
also finish in the in the top ten of the
Order of Merit. So yeah, so those will be my
goals that I've set for myself next year.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
On call fantastic. And what will the Christmas break look
like for the Kabori family.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, that's it's probably going to be a few more
days of not touching golf clubs, to be honest with you.
I mean, both my brother and I we came back
after a pretty pretty busy year and so yeah, we'll
probably take a few more days off. We actually went
off road motor bike riding yesterday, so that was a
lot of fun. We don't want to be breaking anything before, no,
(08:31):
that would be pretty careful around there, but it was
a lot of fun. Yeah, probably do. Well, we're pretty
outdoors they as a family, so we'll probably go through
a few things just you know, the four of us
together while we're while we are home, and then probably
get back into it probably early next week and again
just start kind of getting into the group of things
(08:52):
and start working on things that we've set for ourselves
during the off season. But yeah, that's probably going to
be what it's going to look like. It's definitely good
to have the whole family back for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
Oh absolutely. And you know, in terms of getting that
freshness back again, I mean you clearly still love it.
You're loving what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Yeah, yeah, no, And I'm very lucky to be able
to do what I love for a job as well.
And like, look, it does it's you know, it's not
all you know, happy days every single day, but NEI,
there is any other job, and I'm very I do
love the travel. I do love the environment that I've
(09:32):
got right now, like the people that I get to
spend time with a lot of my friends on tour
and stuff like that. So yeah, like, of course I
still love love competing in the golf side of things,
but also a lot of these other things that I
really enjoy is. Yeah, it definitely helps.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
And just quickly, did you see Lydia cow at all
on tour anyway?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Oh? I did not this year. I don't think I
did last year. A couple of the events, hopefully there's
a couple events that I've managed to get myself into
from my status for twenty twenty five. Really really hoping
that I'll get the chance to case up with her
at one of those ones.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Oh fantastic. A. Look, you've been brilliant. We love chatting
to you. You've done so well and we're so proud
of you. And all we can say is keep up
the fantastic golf. Mamokah Kabori, and thank you very much
for coming on here with us.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Thank you, thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Thanks for having me again. It's great to chat to you.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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