Daniel Hillier Falls Short at Qatar Masters, Finishes Tied for 20th

New Zealand golfer Daniel Hillier faced a disappointing finish at the Qatar Masters, concluding the tournament with a three-over-par 75 and tying for 20th place. This marked a stark contrast to his previous 23 rounds on the DP World Tour, where he had only shot over par once. Entering the final round on March 3, 2024, Hillier was positioned at 11-under, just three shots behind leader Patrick Reed of the United States.

Hillier, who recently achieved a career-high ranking of 101 in the world, had been in contention for his second DP World Tour title, adding to his victory at the 2023 British Masters and a runner-up finish at the Dubai Invitational the previous month. His promising start, however, was marred by early struggles in the final round. After a precise approach on the second hole, he missed a straightforward birdie putt. The situation worsened on the par-three third, where he found himself in difficulty, ultimately recording a double-bogey.

Despite posting three birdies, Hillier also encountered four bogeys throughout his round, finishing with a total score of eight-under after earlier rounds of 65, 69, and 71. Despite the setback, he moved up to fourth place on the DP World Tour’s order of merit, following a tied fourth finish at the Bahrain Championship just a week prior.

Following the tournament, Hillier will return to New Zealand for his wedding before competing in the New Zealand Open in Queenstown, which begins on February 26, 2024.

In the final round of the Qatar Masters, Reed secured his victory with a two-under 70, finishing with a total score of 16-under, two strokes ahead of Calum Hill from Scotland. Another Kiwi golfer, Kazuma Kobori, made a strong showing, finishing tied for ninth with a total of 11-under, thanks to a consistent third consecutive round of 70. This result marked a welcome turnaround for Kobori, who had missed the cut in his previous three tournaments.

On the other side of the globe at the PGA Tour, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox completed a solid performance at the Phoenix Open, his first tournament of 2026. He recorded an eight-under total after a final round of three-under 68, finishing tied for 24th. Fox was eight shots behind the co-leaders, Hideki Matsuyama from Japan and Chris Gotterup from the United States, who headed to a playoff after both finished at 16-under.

As the DP World Tour season progresses, Hillier’s performance suggests he remains a contender, despite the challenges faced at the Qatar Masters. His upcoming participation in the New Zealand Open will be an opportunity to regain momentum and build on his recent successes.