Daniel Hillier is a winner on the Challenge Tour for the very first time
GIRONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Daniel Hillier of New Zealand celebrates with winners trophy after the final round of the Challenge Costa Brava at Emporda Golf Club on October 22, 2021 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
Daniel Hillier is a winner on the Challenge Tour for the very first time.
Hillier, 23, has won the Challenge Costa Brava held at Emporda Golf in Spain by a shot at 19-under par.
He began the final round two shots behind after rounds of 71, 67, and 62 to be 13-under.
After opening with a birdie on the first, he’d go on to make four more on the opening nine to go alongside three bogeys to make the turn at two-under. His lone par going out was on the second.
Hillier made further birdies at the 10th, 12, and 14th holes and soon walked to the 18th tee in a share of the lead with his playing partner, two-time Challenge Tour winner Marcus Helligkilde. After hitting a stellar approach to six feet on the par 5 last, Hillier held his nerve and drained the putt for victory and sign for a six-under 65.
He said it’s a surreal feeling.
GIRONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 22: Daniel Hillier of New Zealand reacts after his putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Challenge Costa Brava at Emporda Golf Club on October 22, 2021 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
“I’m pretty overwhelmed at the moment to be honest,” he said.
“It’s been a pretty unreal week from the get-go. We had some tough conditions to battle with but I managed to battle through that and probably had the round of my life in round three.
“To follow that up today and to hole a nice put on the last is just unbelievable, I can’t really believe I’m standing here right now.
“I’m shaking in my boots really, [the final putt] it was massive and just the fact that I’ve been over here since April away from family, I spent the first three months on my own and then my girlfriend came over and she’s been a massive help and has made everything a lot easier.
“It’s probably been one of the most mentally taxing year that I’ve ever had so to get a win at the end of the season, I’m just more than grateful that I am standing here right now.”
The result sees him projected to climb 27 places on the Challenge Tour Rankings into 18th.
He’ll be fighting for a European Tour Card at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A at T Golf and Country Club in Spain. The top 15 earn full status on the European Tour for 2022.