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Running It Straight: 6pm TuesdaysLocal hero Hillier ends long drought at NZ Open
John Salvado, AAP • March 1st, 2026 6:38 pm
Daniel Hillier has thrilled the home crowd at Millbrook Resort by winning the New Zealand Open | Photo: Chris Symes/AAP
Local hero Daniel Hillier has become just the second Kiwi golfer in 23 years to win the $2 million New Zealand Open with a two-stroke triumph over Lucas Herbert.
But there was also a significant silver lining for the second-placed Australian as he grabbed a spot in the 2026 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
DP World Tour star Hillier started the final day with a one-shot lead over countryman Kerry Mountcastle and Australian Curtis Luck and was never headed.
The 27-year-old had five birdies and just the one bogey in a hugely-impressive final round of four-under 67 to top the leaderboard at 22 under on a cold day with intermittent rain at MiIlbrook Resort.
Since Mahal Pearce's win way back in 2003, the only other Kiwi golfer to lift the NZ Open trophy aloft was Michael Hendry in 2017.
As Hillier was already locked in for the British Open, the spot for the highest-finishing non-exempt player went to LIV Tour player Herbert.
Lucas Herbert has added the British Open at Royal Birkdale to his playing schedule in 2026 | Photo: Michael Thomas/AAP
The 31-year-old has teed it up in 17 majors - with a best finish of a tie for 13th at the 2022 US PGA - but has only qualified for two of the last eight.
Herbert shot a rock-solid 67 on Sunday.
It completed an impressive comeback in a tournament which he started ignominiously by dropping three shots in his first three holes in dreadful conditions back on Thursday.
Japan's Tomoya Ikemura (67) and Mountcastle (71) tied for third at 17 under, while Australian Travis Smyth finished strongly with a 68 to improve to outright fifth at 16 under.
