New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier leads BMW International Open
Daniel Hillier in action during round two – image courtesy of Getty Images
New Zealand’s DP World Tour rookie, Daniel Hillier, has a one shot lead at the halfway mark of the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany, a second round of 67 moving the 24 year old ahead of Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Hillier’s form in his debut season on the DP World Tour has been quite a mixture to date. Two starts ago he finished 5th at the KLM Open but either side of that have been four missed cuts so again he has found form in a comparative drought just as he did in the Netherlands.
“Pretty tough conditions out there,” said Hillier. “Breeze is definitely up and making it tricky. Pretty swirling winds as well. But yeah, played really solid front nine. There were a couple of lucky ones coming in and managed to go round bogey free which was pretty good.
“I mean I think it helps when you come from Wellington, playing in the wind all your life. Then you have to navigate your way around it. As I say, got lucky couple of times coming in.
“It’s great golf course. I think it says my game crowds have been pretty awesome as well from obviously I mean, I’ve been to the marquee great. But you know so yeah, I feel the German guys have got a lot of spectators there watching them.
“Hopefully being one of the final groups tomorrow, we’ll get some more people watching and should be a fun couple of days.”
Hillier, a two time winner on the European Challenge Tour and a former two time New Zealand Amateur Champion and Australian Junior title holder, is considered New Zealand’s brightest young male star.
His best finish to date on the DP World Tour was when 3rd in an event in 2021 when playing on invitation but his 5th place in the Netherlands has been his best since gaining his card via the Challenge Tour late last year.
Australians Blake Windred and Elvis Smylie were also in the event but have failed to make the weekend.
