Daniel Hillier all but secures PGA Tour card

Daniel Hillier – file image courtesy of PGA of AmericaNew Zealander Daniel Hillier’s runner-up finish in this week’s DP World India Championship will all but ensure the 28-year-old Wellingtonian the right to play the PGA Tour in 2027.

Hillier’s second place behind Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra, will see him move up six places to 8th in the Race to Dubai rankings and likely as high as 5th from 10th in the race for one of the ten players to earn a PGA Tour card for 2027.

The leading ten players in the Race to Dubai rankings and not otherwise exempt on the PGA Tour gain access to the potential riches of US and Hillier looks well and truly on his way.

Hillier’s final round of 67 came on top of consecutive rounds of 64 on Friday and Saturday, and considering where he stood after his opening round of 74 on Thursday, his last 54 holes will play a big part in his future.

“Pretty tiring week,” said Hillier. “Obviously, few delays out there. Pretty hot, which I’m not usually a fan of.”I think I was like 4-over through 14 holes in the first round or something, and I don’t know what happened, what clicked. Yeah, I just started finding the clubface and holing a few putts. The rest is history.

“I think after that start I just kind of started free wheeling it a little bit. Maybe a little bit tense, trying to get a little bit too much coming back from a pretty good week last year at the same joint.

“Yeah, obviously wanted to do well again. Yeah, I think once I got off to that start it kind of freed me up a little bit. I mean, just keep going after that first 8-under. To do it back to back and follow it up with a pretty good one at the end is pretty cool.

“I don’t know if that will solidify it (PGA Tour card) or not, but trying to play my best golf, and, yeah, if I can solidify the card it would be amazing. Yeah, great to focus on getting to America next year.”

With just the Genesis Championship in Korea, followed by the Abu Dhabi and DP World Championships to finish the season, Hillier looks to be well on his way to the PGA Tour, following his near miss on one of the cards nearly twelve months ago.

Hillier, who earlier this year won his own national open in Queenstown, has had yet another impressive season with now three runner-up finishes in big events on the DP World Tour in 2026, including the British Masters, the Dubai Invitational and, now, this event.

Chacarra’s win, his third of the season, sweeps him to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings ahead of Patrick Reed.