Daniel Hillier

Hillier started playing golf at the age of 4 under the influence of his father. One of his most memorable golf moments was winning his first national title, the 2015 New Zealand Amateur Championship, in front of his parents, who drove eight hours overnight to watch him play in the match-play final. When Daniel is not playing golf, he likes to play the guitar, hang out with his friends and listen to music.
Daniel won two New Zealand Junior U19 Championships in 2015 and 2016, the 2017 Australian Junior Championship, a Charles Tour professional event in the 2015 Harewood Open, as well as two New Zealand Amateur Championship titles in 2015 and 2017.
During his second overseas tournament campaign in the USA, Hillier was co-medalist during stroke play at the 2018 U.S. Amateur championship at Pebble Beach before losing in the second round of match play. In September 2018, Daniel represented New Zealand as part of the Eisenhower Trophy team in Dublin. Team New Zealand finished in 4th place, while Daniel was T-3rd overall in the individual standings. In his most recent appearance at the 2018 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship Cup in Singapore, Hillier finished a creditable 13th place in a strong international field in very difficult climatic conditions. Hillier is currently New Zealand's top-ranked amateur and is No. 24 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
In the last six months, he has played in five professional events on the Asian and Australian Tour, T-60th at the Emirates Australian Open, missed the cut at the Jennings NSW Open, New Zealand Open, SEC NZ PGA Championship, and the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship.
He played in his first U.S. Open after he birdied four of his last six holes in the second round of the Surrey, England, sectional qualifier to secure his spot. He missed the cut at Pebble Beach.
2020 Notes: Only got to play in three Australian and Challenge Tour events due to COVID-19, best finish T-8th at the Dimension Data Pro-am.
In 2021 been able to play in six Australia Tour events, his best finish was T-5th at the Gippsland Super 6. On the European Challenge Tour, in 21 starts made 16 cuts with four top-ten finishes. Was 23rd in the Road to Mallorca, earning euro88,217. He won the Challenge Costa Brava.
2022 Notes: Played in 24 events making 16 cuts with six top-ten finishes. Was 7th in the Road to Mallrca earning euro161,828. Best finish win at the Swiss Challenge. Finished 3rd at the Dimension Data Pro-Am, 4th at the Hopps Open de Provence and T-5th at the Emparda Challenge.
2023 Notes: Joined the DP World Tour and it took 13 starts to get his first top-ten, T-5th at the KLM Open, four shots back of winner Pablo Larrazabal. Was T-3rd at the BMW International two shots back of winner Thriston Lawrence. Two weeks later Hillier emerged from a crowded leaderboard on the final day at The Belfry to claim his maiden DP World Tour win at the Betfred British Masters. He won by two shots over Oliver Wilson and Gunner Weibe. The win earned Hillier a trip to play in the 151st Open.