BETFRED BRITISH MASTERS HOSTED BY SIR NICK FALDO

July 2, 2023

Daniel Hillier

The Belfry Hotel & Resort

Quick Quotes (Win)

Q. You've won your first DP World title in your rookie season on an iconic course in a marquee championship with a brilliant round of 66. Try and describe what this means to you.

DANIEL HILLIER: Yeah, over the moon, really at a loss for words. I was playing pretty well coming into the week, and you know, with the conditions we had, I knew it was going to be a bit of a grind.

So yeah, just keep telling myself the whole week, just hang in there. Got pretty tough at times out there, but yeah, just managed to keep myself in it. Wasn't feeling it today. Yeah, I don't know, hit a switch, or I don't know what happened, but yeah, those last few holes, going to take a while to process I think.

Q. Talk about the last few holes, eagle at 15, birdie at 16, eagle at 17 when you were three or four shots behind and seemingly not in the tournament. Just reflect on those holes for us again?

DANIEL HILLIER: Yeah, 15, that tee shot has troubled me all week. Nice to get one semi in play, bit of an awkward lie for my second shot. Managed to hit a good 5-wood in there to 40 feet. Putt was racing but managed to hit the back of the hole so that was a bonus.

Bit of a miscue on 16. Hit it in the fairway trap, but actually had a nice number. So it was a nice, full wedge in there. Managed to get a nice bounce off that slope.

And yeah, 17 was a bit lucky, just carried that trap and made the most that have good break.

Just hang on for dear life down the last.

Q. The awkward putt on the last green, heavily left-to-right, what was going through your mind over that?

DANIEL HILLIER: I felt pretty good over. Thought I gave myself the best chance for holing it. Read it really well and felt comfortable, as comfortable as you can over a putt of that magnitude.

Yeah, I just had to tell myself, just put a good stroke on it, one more good stroke on it, and yeah, managed to do it.

Q. Your countryman Bob Charles was the first to win a DP World British Masters event in 1972. How proud to put your name alongside his in history?

DANIEL HILLIER: Yeah, that's pretty amazing. Obviously he's New Zealand's golfing hero. That's pretty cool to be on the same trophy as him.

Q. This victory secures your spot in The Open Championship; projected to 12th in the DP World Tour rankings and Race to Dubai, so that will secure a place in the DP World Tour Championship and possibly a PGA Tour card as well. This is life-changing, isn't it?

DANIEL HILLIER: Yeah, wasn't thinking about that but certainly changes the outlook from what it was maybe four weeks ago. Didn't get off to the best start this season and was a bit of a grind early on. I think I'm finally starring to find my stride, and yeah, it's cool to have that opportunity to play in the final event and obviously as you said to try and get that PGA TOUR card.

Q. You brought some friends over from New Zealand; one guy has popped off to a festival in Manchester, but coming back as we speak. How will you celebrate?

DANIEL HILLIER: I'm not sure yet, but I'm sure it will be well celebrated.