Dan Hillier does the double !!

Fast rising amateur golfer, Daniel Hillier has defended his New Zealand Men’s Age Group Championship with style and Focus Jonglikit has taken home the Women’s Championship in an enthralling playoff to produce an exciting day for golf in New Zealand. 

Hillier has gone under the radar throughout the week and left his run late with four birdies on the back nine to card a final round of five under (66) to remind everyone of his ability to win and adding to what has been one of the best amateur seasons seen.

“It’s awesome to be in the winner’s circle once again and my year seems to keep getting better,” beamed an emotional Hillier.

“To win and then defend this Championship is something I will never forget so it’s a pretty special day for me.”

Alongside defending his title this week, Hillier holds the New Zealand Amateur Championship, New Zealand U19 Stoke Play and the Harewood Open on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour. In March this year Hillier was also the leading amateur at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown and most recently, Australia Junior Champion, which earnt him a ticket to the Emirates Australian Open in November. The kid can play.

Charlie Smail and Jake Meenhorst were the players to watch before Hillier came into the conversation, but Smail couldn’t quite finish the week off after his sublime second round 65. Meenhorst came out firing with a front nine from heaven as he leaped up the leaderboard with six birdies on the opening side before he too fell short.

Nelson was treated to more than just fine weather today as the Women’s Age Group Championship provided golfing drama at its best.

After three rounds of gruelling tournament golf it all came down to a playoff between Riverside’s Focus Jonglikit and Russley’s Hillary O’Conner where two playoff holes were required to crown Jonglikit with her first national title.

Finishing at a total of eight under, Jonglikit went three under for the final round and more impressively four under on the back nine to earn every bit of her win.

Jonglikit and O’Conner finished three shots ahead of the field in what ended in a two horse race that had punters on the edge of their seat and it took a sensational 15 foot birdie from Jonglikit to decide the winner.

Nelson has witnessed some of the best amateurs in the country going head to head and the players certainly did their part in providing the drama. 

: Courtesy of New Zealand Golf