Hillier alongside tournament host Sir Nick Faldo – image European Tour

24 year old New Zealander, Daniel Hillier, is in his rookie season on the DP World Tour but his win in the British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at the Belfry today suggested a golfer of considerably more experience and one with a significant future in the game.

An amazing stretch of golf through the latter stages of his final round of 66 where he would produce two eagles and a birdie on holes 15 through 17 swept the two time New Zealand Amateur Champion into the lead ahead of American Gunner Wiebe and England’s Oliver Wilson and when he got up and down from behind the green at the last he was a two shot winner of one of the European Tour’s more prestigious titles.

Not only was the title his, but so too was a cheque for ¥547,000 moving the Wellingtonian from 77^th to 14^th on the Road to Dubai points list and offering security of tenure in Europe for the foreseeable future and a financial cushion which will allow him to play with even more freedom.

Hillier has been playing well in recent weeks having finished 3^rd at the BMW International just last week and 5^th in the Netherlands a month earlier suggesting he was feeling more and more comfortable on the bigger stage after graduating via the Challenge Tour last year.

“I think it’s going to take me awhile to process to be honest,” said Hillier. “Early on in the day, I was not feeling it, at all. A little bit uncomfortable with the driver. Didn’t really have very many chances, but obviously knew that there’s some chances coming in. I didn’t think I would take them that well but yeah, obviously pretty ecstatic.

“I’m over the moon, really at a loss for words. I was playing pretty well coming into the week, and you know, with the conditions we had, I knew it was going to be a bit of a grind.

“So yeah, just keep telling myself the whole week, just hang in there. Got pretty tough at times out there, but yeah, just managed to keep myself in it. Wasn’t feeling it today. Yeah, I don’t know, hit a switch, or I don’t know what happened, but yeah, those last few holes, going to take a while to process I think.”

The victory will take Hillier to a projected 14^th on the DP World Tour table, secure a start at the Open Championship and the DP World Tour Championship and move him from his current 265^th in the world ranking and also has him in line for one of the PGA Tour cards offered to the leading ten players at season’s end.

“Yeah, wasn’t thinking about that but certainly changes the outlook from what it was maybe four weeks ago. Didn’t get off to the best start this season and was a bit of a grind early on. I think I’m finally starring to find my stride, and yeah, it’s cool to have that opportunity to play in the final event and obviously as you said to try and get that PGA TOUR card.”

SCORES

Contrasting days for Rod Pampling (left) and Bernhard Langer – image USGA James Gilbert

65 year old and 45 time PGA Tour Champions titleholder, Bernhard Langer, has opened up a two shot lead over Jerry Kelly and three over Steve Stricker at the US Senior Open in Wisconsin and, despite Langer having won this title only once previously, the German is clearly the man to beat in tomorrow’s final round at Sentry World in Stevens Point.

Langer began today’s third round one shot ahead of Australia’s Rod Pampling but birdies at his opening two holes set the tone for a day where he would complete a 3 under par round of 68 and with Pampling dropping six shots in his first five holes it would be Kelly and 2109 champion, Stricker, who would take up the challenge.

When play was completed only five players were under par for the 54 holes and realistically it appears only they Langer, Kelly, Stricker, Y.E Yang and Retief Goosen remain as chances to win the title.

Like every other player in the field, Langer has found the Sentry World layout an extremely demanding examination, especially given he is giving up quite a bit of yardage to the rest of the field but his immaculate course strategy and skill saw him take control with four birdies and one bogey.

One of the fittest players on the 50-and-over tour, Langer, who turns 66 in 56 days, put himself in position to become the oldest champion – by eight years – in U.S. Senior Open history. Allen Doyle was 57 years, 11 months, 14 days when he successfully defended his title in 2006. Langer, who won this title in 2010, would also surpass five-time USGA champion Hale Irwin (3 U.S. Opens, 2 U.S. Senior Opens) as the winningest golfer on the PGA Tour Champions with 46 titles.

Langer will play tomorrow’s final round with local Jerry Kelly and he is aware that he won’t be the popular favourite to win the title.

“Yeah, it’s going to be difficult. I remember playing against Fred Couples in Seattle, actually in this championship, and if there were 30,000 people, there were every one of them cheering for Fred, and the only one for me was my caddie, who was my son at the time.

“It was like a Ryder Cup match in America. It’s going to be similar tomorrow I take it. Hopefully the crowd will be somewhat fair and still appreciate good golf shots. I understand. They want their hometown boy to win. I’ve been there myself.

“It’s going to be an interesting day.

“I’d rather be in the lead than behind because if I’m in front I can make a mistake or two and still be in the lead. If you’re three behind and you make a mistake or two, you’re five behind, something like that.”

Pampling’s round and confidence were brought undone early when he dropped five shots in two holes at the 4th and the 5th and he was never able to get things back on track although that he was able to play the final 13 holes in just two over par while playing with Langer and after the early shock was quite and achievement in itself.

“You know, I just got super unlucky on that 4th hole hole,” said Pampling. “Just the shot came out really hot. Just trying to play safe and then it was just a gnarly next lie, and it just came out left, unfortunately, and just added up quick.

“As I say, it happened quickly, but it’s not that we weren’t thinking about what we were doing. The ball come out high, which out of this rough it normally doesn’t come out high, and it clipped that tree, and then it was just — I got a terrible break after that.

“But I hit a poor shot, and then just hit a bad second shot to the par-5, as well.

“Other than that — hey, you never want to have days like today, but unfortunately you have them, and you still have them. Just let it go and get ready for tomorrow.”

Pampling’s position as the leading Australasian was taken by Steve Alker whose round of 70 included birdies at his final two holes. Alker is now in 17th position at 5 over, while Pampling and Richard Green are 20th at 6 over and Mark Hensby 42nd at 10 over.

SCORES