Daniel Hillier Eyes Title as He Trails by Four at Australian Open

Daniel Hillier will enter the final round of the Australian Open with a four-shot deficit as he aims for his first major title. Following a solid performance at Royal Melbourne, Hillier recorded six birdies during his four-under 67 on Saturday, bringing his total to 10-under for the tournament. This score places the 27-year-old in a tie for sixth position alongside Australian golfer Min Woo Lee and veteran Adam Scott, a former World No. 1.

The leaderboard is currently led by Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who finished the third round with a strong five-under 66, highlighted by three consecutive birdies to wrap up his round. South Korea’s Si Woo Kim, Australian Cam Smith, and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz are just two shots ahead of Hillier at 12-under.

Hillier’s performance included a dramatic recovery after he double-bogeyed the seventh hole. He surged back with four straight birdies from holes 11 to 14, showcasing his resilience and leaving him well-positioned for Sunday’s final round. Hillier and fellow New Zealander Ryan Fox both began the day at six-under-par, only three shots behind the leader.

Fox encountered a difficult start, recording four consecutive bogeys early in his round. Nevertheless, he rebounded to finish with even par at 71, including four birdies, placing him in a group tied at six-under for the tournament, eight shots behind Neergaard-Petersen.

Hillier arrived in Australia after narrowly missing a spot on the PGA Tour during the DP World Tour finale in Dubai by just two or three shots. His recent performance at the Australian PGA Championship, where he tied for fifth, has set a positive tone as he and Fox look to break a notable streak—no New Zealander has won Australia’s oldest golf tournament since its inception in 1904.

“That is pretty crazy,” Hillier remarked about the lack of Kiwi winners. “There’s a lot of pretty awesome competition out there so it’s a tough one to win, but it’d be nice to have a good weekend and give it a shot.”

In other standings, Auckland’s Nick Voke is currently at two-under through three rounds in a tie for 41st place. Meanwhile, Kazuma Kobori, another New Zealander, missed the cut at three-over after rounds of 75 and 70.

As the final round approaches, all eyes will be on Hillier as he seeks to make history at the Australian Open.