SUTTON COLDFIELD, ENGLAND | In 1972, the first year of the DP World (then the European) Tour, New Zealander Bob Charles was victorious in what was then called the Dunlop Masters. Now, 51 years on, his compatriot Daniel Hillier added his name to what’s now the Betfred British Masters trophy in sensational style, carding a final round 6-under par 66 Sunday to win by two shots on 10-under 278.
It was a 29th start on the circuit for the 24-year-old rookie, but a big finish had been coming. He was fifth in the recent KLM Open and third in last week’s BMW International Open when he was the halfway leader.
Halfway through his back nine, however, the notion of such inevitability was inconceivable. Hillier had played the back nine in 2-under for the first three rounds but opened it Sunday with five straight pars. True, the six men who had started the final round in a tie for first were ailing, but the Kiwi did not resemble the man to take advantage.
Whereupon he caught fire in spectacular style. He drained a 40-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th, got up and down for birdie from a fairway bunker 130 yards short of the green at the par-4 16th, converted another eagle opportunity, this time from just 6 feet, at the par-5 17th, and then made par from the back of the multi-tiered 18th green to set a clubhouse target that no-one would match.
It was a somewhat bizarre finale because the result was known with the latest Sunday starters still having three holes to play.
“I’m over the moon and a bit lost for words,” the startled winner said afterward. “Those last few holes are going to take a while to process, I think.
“The 17th was a bit lucky. I just carried the trap and managed to make the most of that good break, then just held on for dear life down the last.”
Of emulating Charles, he added: “That’s pretty amazing. Obviously he’s New Zealand’s golfing hero, so it’s pretty cool to be on the same trophy as him.”
Second place was shared by England’s Oliver Wilson, alone among the half dozen 54-hole leaders to maintain any kind of challenge on the back nine, and American Gunner Wiebe, at 8-under 280.
Wilson posted his first top-20 result since he won the Made in Himmerland tournament in September. He will defend that title next week.
Wiebe’s story is a remarkable one. The 34-year-old is the son of former PGA (and now Champions) Tour pro Mark Wiebe, but his own tour career was interrupted by an accident on vacation in Mexico. He walked into a glass door, cutting tendons and tissue, potentially ending his hopes of competing at the highest level.
After a spell as a club professional in Los Angeles, he was persuaded to give tour golf another crack and claimed the 14th card at DP World Tour Q-School late last year.
He opened the season with a pair of top-20s Down Under. When sitting third at halfway in the Australian Open, he was not only eyeing victory but one of the Open Championship spots up for grabs to the top three finishers not already exempt.
“I’m playing for a couple of things this week on a personal level,” the son of the 2013 Senior Open champion told GolfAustralia. “The British Open is very important to me and my family, so the fact that you can earn your way into this week is a very, very good thing to keep you going.”
He missed out that week, but not this one. Another three spots were up for grabs at The Belfry via the R&A’s Open Qualifying Series, and Wiebe will now make his Open debut at Royal Liverpool later this month, with fellow qualifiers Hillier and Wilson.
In a side note, 17-year-old Englishman Frank Kennedy, a semifinalist at the Amateur Championship two weeks ago, turned pro at the start of last week and finished tied for 74th. As the winner of April’s Lytham Trophy, his departure to the paid ranks will be a blow for the selectors of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team.
Matt Cooper