Hillier is the highest-ranked player — at precisely 100th in the official world rankings — and the star Kiwi contender at the $2 million New Zealand Open.
Winning his home tournament is a long-held dream and would be a remarkably timely wedding gift following Hillier’s vows to longtime partner Siobhan Weaver.
"I’ve just had the best day of my life on Saturday, finally becoming a married man," Hillier said yesterday.
"We celebrated that really well. It’s not often you get all of your nearest and dearest in one place at one time, so that was pretty awesome.
"I’m still buzzing at the moment but obviously I’ve got a job to do this week so we’ll lock in and celebrate properly after this."
The Hilliers are both Formula One fans and plan to attend the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne next weekend before a honeymoon proper in Fiji.
Life is good off the course and it is equally exciting on it.
Hillier is officially on a tear, following his six top-10 finishes on the DP World Tour in 2025 with a burst of strong form this year.
He was second at the Dubai Invitational and tied for fourth in Bahrain to break into the world top 100.
"It’s been an incredible start to the year.
"Nice to get off to a good start on the DP World Tour, and it’s taken a bit of pressure off the back end of the year, which is nice.
"The game’s in a decent spot, the head’s in a nice spot, and it’s just a matter of putting it together now."
Hillier is a calm character who is not particularly concerned with setting specific goals.
Winning the New Zealand Open, however, after tying for 12th in both 2023 and last year, will always be on the list.
"It would mean the world.
"Obviously winning your national open is something you sort of dream about as a kid, and I think I speak for all Kiwis when I say we want to come out here and win it.
"I feel like there are a lot of Kiwis in pretty good form at the moment."
Nine years after the tournament last delivered a New Zealand winner, it is up to Hillier, Kazuma Kobori, veteran Steven Alker, local hero Ben Campbell and others to ensure the winner’s korowai is draped over Kiwi shoulders.
While most in the Millbrook crowd would be delighted to see a New Zealand winner, the reality is history and sheer weight of numbers tend to favour the prospect of someone with an Australian accent lifting the Brodie Breeze Trophy.
Asian Tour regular Travis Smyth, in-form young gun Cameron John, the always threatening Anthony Quayle, LIV star Lucas Herbert and former Australian Open runner-up Curtis Luck are some of the names to watch.
Inevitably, there will also be plenty of attention on defending champion Ryan Peake, who provided such a memorable story last year after claiming a breakthrough victory a few years after serving a jail sentence.
Peake has returned to Arrowtown from a tournament in Kenya — and revealed yesterday he is no fan of being in the air.
"I hate flying. I’m probably the scaredest flyer you’ll ever see," Peake said.
"This is the only airport I land in where my face is resting on the window, just staring at the mountains.
"I don’t have a bad memory of this place."
Peake said it took him by surprise when he walked down the 18th hole during a practice round this week and he felt quite emotional.
He enjoyed sitting at the top table for the annual champions dinner beside New Zealand great and fellow lefty Bob Charles.
The only down side to winning a national open was that everybody assumed he was now rolling in cash, Peake smiled.
While the winner’s cheque of $334,800 was obviously nice, it only went so far in covering the eye-watering costs of a grinding golf touring professional.
Peake and the other leaders went super low at Millbrook last year — the winner carded 67, 64, 64 and 66 for a total of 23-under-par.
Whether that sort of scoring is repeated this year with thicker rough in places and a forecast for inclement weather today remains to be seen.
Golfers play alternate rounds on Millbrook’s Remarkables and Coronet layouts before a composite layout is used for the weekend rounds.
NZ Open
The facts
• Where: Millbrook Resort, Arrowtown.
• What: Four rounds starting today.
• Format: Up to 156 amateurs and 156 professionals play alongside each other. Professionals compete for the NZ Open title, while pairings play best-ball format for the pro-am championship.
• Cut: Top 60 professionals plus ties, top 40 (third round) and top 10 (final round) for pro-am.
• Sanctioning: PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour, in partnership with Japan Tour.
• Purse: $2 million.
• Bonus: Winner gets a spot at British Open.
• Defending champion: Ryan Peake (Australia).
