Daniel Hillier – photo Getty Images
New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier has set about consolidating the standing his victory in last week’s European Challenge Tour event has given him on the Road to Mallorca Order of Merit, taking a share of the lead at the halfway mark of Hopps Open de Provence in Mallemort in France.
Hillier, who moved to 13th in the standings following his win last week, has already staked his claim for a position inside the top 20 at season’s end and if he is able to do so then he will be playing the DP World Tour next season.
The Wellingtonian, who won the Australian Junior Championship, two New Zealand Junior Championships and two New Zealand Amateur Championships in a stellar career before turning professional in late 2019, has for some time been heralded as perhaps New Zealand’s brightest emerging prospects.
“I’m pretty happy with my work, especially today,” he said. “I got off to a bit of a shaky start first round, I actually made a good par save on 18 and I guess that gave me some momentum, I managed to come back strong in that first round and followed it up today with a good one.
“You really need to have control of the ball flight out there. My caddy and I have been working really well together, we’ve been picking the wind and getting some good numbers. I think I was five under on the par fives today which helps. If you put it in play on the par fives, birdie is in play and sometimes eagle.”
Hillier shares the halfway lead with England’s Bailey Gill, the duo lead by two ahead of South Africa’s Bryce Easton, Sweden’s Oscar Lengden and Robbie van West, of the Netherlands, and Hillier was pleased with his second round effort which he filed without a blemish.
