New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier closes in on DP World Tour card
Daniel Hillier – photo Getty Images
New Zealand golf now appears likely to have another representative playing the DP World Tour in 2023 following the success of Wellingtonian, Daniel Hillier, in a Challenge Tour event in Europe this weekend.
Hillier produced a stunning final round of 64 to win the Swiss Challenge at Golf Saint Apollinaire, Folgensbourg in France and the 24 year old now moves up 13 places to 13th in the Race to Mallorca rankings in which he needs to be inside the top 20 at season’s end to graduate to the DP World Tour.
With another four events remaining before the Challenge Tour winds up with the Grand Final in Mallorca in early November, Hillier still has work to do but this week’s victory has given him an important cushion as he heads into a crucial period in his professional career.
Hillier began the final round four shots from the lead and tied for 8th but a ten birdie round swept him into the lead and birdies at his final two holes allowed him to win by two over Korea’s Ko Jeong weon.
“That was pretty unbelievable,” he said. “I played really solid on the front nine and didn’t miss too many greens. I hit some of the best wedge shots I’ve hit in a long time and gave myself a lot of really good chances. I holed a couple of clutch putts to keep the momentum going and then managed to birdie five of my last six holes.
“It was a crazy day and I felt like I was in autopilot. I’ve been working on my short game a lot in the last couple of years and it’s something that has really let me down in the past. To be able to hole those putts under pressure today just shows I am doing some of the right things and now I just need to keep my head down and hope the wins keep coming.
“This is massive for me being towards the end of the season. I’ve moved inside the top 20 and now I’m in a strong position to get my DP World Tour card for next season. The jobs not done yet so I need to play as well as I can for the final few events.”
