New Zealand Open: Par Excellence
The New Zealand Open came to a thrilling conclusion at the beginning of the month as the second event on the 2026 Asian Tour schedule. Daniel Hillier’s victory – the first by a Kiwi in nine years – was one of the many high points that again helped the eighth oldest National Open in the game make such a huge impact. The Asian Tour’s Simon Wilson reports on why the event continues to be recognised as one of THE tournaments of the season.
You know you are doing something right if surf legend Kelly Slater accepts an invitation to play in your golf tournament.
The American’s participation adds a whole new level of credibility, and coolness – especially when it comes to the game of golf.
The Pro-Am format is a unique and central part of the New Zealand Open and alongside Slater, a host of other Ambassadors add a little extra stardust to the already spectacular event. Former cricket stars Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming, former number one ranked tennis player Ash Barty, and All Black legend Israel Dagg plus Hollywood actor Michael Peña all bring a unique aspect to the tournament.
Tournament Director Michael Glading.
It is part of the reason why each year the New Zealand Open receives praise the size of the mountain ranges that surround the host venue Millbrook Resort in Queenstown.
No need for the brochure
Michael Glading, Tournament Director, best sums up the current health of the Open, which this year celebrated its 105th edition: “There was a time when I would travel to other events with a brochure to help promote the event and encourage players to enter. I would almost point on the map showing where the hell we lived. That’s all changed, I don’t need to do that anymore.
“It’s the reputational thing that we’ve built that is really helpful. And so instead of the old days where you’d have to say, come on, please come – you know, no, we’re not paying you, but please come. Now it’s like, wow, ‘I’m in’. So, it’s that’s been quite a change.”
Millbrook Resort with its stunning alpine scenery and two world class golf courses – designed by Sir Bob Charles and Greg Turner, both former New Zealand Open champions, along with architect Scott Macpherson – provides a stunning stage for the event to be delivered.
There’s also the incredible food, warm and welcoming people and the beauty of nearby Arrowtown and Queenstown – known as the adventure capital of New Zealand.
Daniel Hillier with the Brodie Breeze Trophy.
The breathtaking fictional land portrayed in the Lord of the Rings movies is actually a reality, and possibly the cleanest air golfers will ever breathe.
Asian reach
Importantly, the event also maintains strong ties with the Asia-Pacific region with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour as co-sanction partners since 2018.
There is also a strong presence from Japan as the tournament is staged in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour – an important relationship given the Japanese ownership of Millbrook Resort through the Ishii family.
In a starting field of 156, the Asian Tour was represented by 51 players from 17 different nationalities.
Furthermore, Asian Tour Media handles the international television distribution which sees the tournament delivered to over 600 million households worldwide
It is also the only Asian Tour event in the Southern Hemisphere, but the trip there is well worth it, and Glading knows the importance of embracing the region as a whole.
He said: “The Asian Tour adds huge diversity and quality to our field; the fact that our top 10 this year (including ties) included four Asian Tour players is testament to this.
“We’ve always seen ourselves as a pan-Asia event. Obviously, we’ve been helped with the recruitment into Japan this year. We’ve had nine out of the top 12 from the Japan Tour. So that’s the first time we’ve had that strength.
The New Zealand Open trophy and the Claret Jug.
“The Australasian Tour has always been our bedrock, and if we look at the winners over the last recent years, we can see why, but our relationship with the Asian Tour just keeps getting stronger and stronger. And again, the strength of field out of Asia is fantastic. So, you really couldn’t be happier with where we sit.”
Put in a suitcase
There’s no doubt that if the tournament was a full field on the Asian Tour there’s every chance that, with the greater voting capacity, it would earn Tournament of the Year honours.
“This is probably one of the favorite weeks of the year for our players,” says David Rollo, Chief Operating Officer, Asian Tour.
“We’d like to put this in a suitcase and take it around with us across Asia. I don’t quite know how they keep doing it, but the attention to detail is first class. And there’s just, you know, additions every year. The Landing this year, obviously, was a new structure on the 18th tee for fans – so I take my hat off to all of them and their team for the fantastic job that they do.”
Despite the strong presence of players from across the region, it was New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier who won the tournament, by two from Australian Lucas Herbert. Hillier became the first Kiwi champion since Michael Hendry raised the event’s famous trophy – called the Brodie Breeze Trophy – in 2017.
Herbert, a star of the LIV Golf League and another regular visitor to the event, enjoyed the consolation of earning a place in this year’s Open Championship, as the event was part of the Open Qualifying Series (OQS). Hillier had already qualified for the game’s oldest Major.
Being part of the OQS for the past two years is another feather in the cap for a tournament that is so much more than a day job for Glading.
An aerial view of the Millbrook Resort.
He has been Tournament Director since 2012, his father won the event in 1946 and again the following year, both times as an amateur, and he caddied for Sir Bob Charles when he claimed his fourth and final New Zealand Open in 1973.
“Just one other quick anecdotal thing about recruitment,” he adds.
“Dominic Foos was tipped as somebody we should definitely try and get after winning the SJM Macao Open. I went up to Singapore, and Dominic was on the putting green. I called him over, and he didn’t know who the hell I was, and introduced myself and said, I’m from the New Zealand Open.
“I’m trying to get him to come down to New Zealand. The first thing he says to me, ‘oh, yeah, man, one of the first things I thought of [after winning Macao] was, wow, now I can get to the New Zealand Open’. Well, that’s a hard sell, isn’t it?”
Main photo: the par-three 18th on the championship course at Millbrook Resort.
Pictures courtesy Photosport.
The Link Hong Kong Open will once again play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the season on the Asian Tour and The International Series with organisers confirming today the celebrated event will be played at Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC), Fanling, from 22-25 October 2026.
It will boast prize money of US$2million and for the fourth successive season form part of The International Series, the upper echelon of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League.
“The historic Hong Kong Open has long attracted some of the game’s biggest stars and we very much look forward to staging the 65th edition at Fanling,” said Andy Kwok, Captain, HKGC.
“Always a favourite with players and fans alike, the tournament is an undisputed highlight on the local sporting calendar and underscores our Club’s commitment to furthering Hong Kong’s status as a major events capital.
“Our tremendous thanks to Link Asset Management for being title sponsor for a third consecutive year. It really promises to be another wonderful week of first-class golf and entertainment.”
Tom McKibbin after winning last year. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Today’s news comes after LIV Golf Hong Kong came to an exciting climax at HKGC at the weekend. Thousands of fans watched Jon Rahm win the individual title, and Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces side secure team honours.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The Asian Tour is delighted to confirm a prime date on our calendar for the Link Hong Kong Open.
“Our close affinity to the prestigious event and special relationship with Hong Kong Golf Club, as well as the tournament partners, is well known and we are pleased to have finalised details for this year’s edition. We thank HKGC, the Golf Association of Hong Kong, China, and LIV Golf for their incredible support.”
This year will mark the 65th staging of the event. First played in 1959, it is the longest-running international sporting event in Hong Kong, and ranks alongside Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, as the only golf clubs to have hosted the same professional tournament for over 60 years.
Said Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series: “The 2026 edition will be the fourth time the tournament has featured on The International Series schedule, and its stature at Fanling continues to resonate with players and fans. The strong crowds we have seen year after year underline our commitment to elevating flagship events and bringing world-class golf to Hong Kong.”
This season will also mark the third consecutive year Link Asset Management Limited (Link) – a leading international real estate investor and asset manager – will be title sponsor.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin won the tournament last year after a breathtaking wire-to-wire seven-shot victory that saw him earn invites to this year’s Open Championship and Masters Tournament.
The LIV Golf star, who plays for Rahm’s Legion XIII team, broke the 72-hole record with a four-round aggregate of 27-under 253. He also matched the biggest margin of victory.
For the third consecutive year the tournament was also voted by the players as The International Series Tournament of the Year.
In 2023, HKGC was also named the Players’ Choice Course of the Year – adding to its long list of accolades.
Main picture, from left-to-right: Bryant Lu (Vice-Captain, HKGC), Andy Kwok (Captain, HKGC), Cho Minn Thant (Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour) and Daniel O’Neill (Director of Golf and General Manager Designate, HKGC).
The ongoing fine form of Travis Smyth and Jack Thompson was rewarded at the weekend at the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship when the Australian stars faced off against each other in a marathon sudden-death play-off.
Smyth triumphed after he made birdie on the sixth play-off hole at Royal Auckland & Grange Golf Club on Sunday – in a new event on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Japan Golf Tour.
It’s the culmination of extended periods of excellent golf by both players, including on the Asian Tour.
Smyth is currently second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit after finishing fifth and third in the first two events of year. That’s off the back of four strong seasons in Asia when he won once, at the Yeangder TPC in 2022 – his last win before this week – finished second three times, and third on four occasions.
Thompson finished runner-up twice last year, continuing to fulfil the potential he showed when he won the Asian Tour’s 2023 Qualifying School.
Jack Thompson.
Smyth and Thompson finished on 15-under-par after regulation play, one ahead of Justin De Los Santos from the Philippines – a Japan Tour regular.
Smyth closed with a five-under-par 67, while Thompson matched the course record with a 64, and having started the day six off the lead needed to wait nearly two hours for the last group to finish.
“I’m just so happy and over the moon that all the hard work, all the consistency, it’s finally paid off,” said Smyth.
“I’ve had so many top-fives and top-10s over the last four or five years and I’m watching guys win tournaments and not play as consistent as I am. And I’m just thinking ‘when’s my time going to come?’ It was this week. I’m so happy.”
The win moved him to the top of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia with just two events remaining.
He now has a two-year exemption on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and can play the rest of 2026 and the next two seasons on the Japan Golf Tour.
Said Thompson: “I thought I’m still pretty far away. I just thought I’ll have a good round, hopefully sneak into the top five.”
Both Smyth and Thompson have won once before in Australia. The former at the Northern Territory PGA Championship in 2017, impressively as an amateur, while the latter at Gippsland Super 6 Match Play in 2021.
Kazuki Higa and Yosuke Asaji, two of Japan’s most successful players on the international stage, have confirmed their participation in the International Series Japan at the beginning of April – in what is The International Series’ season-opening tournament.
The US$2million event is returning to Caledonian Golf Club in Chiba, for the second successive season, and will be played from 2-5 April.
Higa enjoyed a career-defining 2025 campaign, securing consecutive victories at the Shinhan Donghae Open and the Yeangder TPC enroute to winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He also tied for second in the International Series Philippines and ended in 10th place on The International Series Rankings. He has made no secret of his desire to win the Rankings to earn a place on the LIV Golf League.
“Coming so close to an International Series win last year made me realise how clear my goal is this season,” said Higa. “I want to capitalise on the form I’ve built, win on The International Series, and give myself the best opportunity to compete at the top of the Rankings race. To begin that push at home in Japan makes it even more special.”
Yosuke Asaji during the trophy presentation at the Moutai Singapore Open. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Higa became the first Japanese player to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit and will be joined by former Merit list champions American John Catlin and Sihwan Kim, plus Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Asaji won the Singapore Open last year – a result that helped him end the year second on the Rankings to book his place on this year’s LIV Golf League.
He has made a strong start on the League this season, recording a T17 at LIV Golf Riyadh and T24 at LIV Golf Adelaide.
Said the Japan star: “Events of this calibre don’t come around often in Japan, so to have The International Series back at Caledonian Golf Club is something I’m really proud of.”
He is playing on the League this year with fellow Asian Tour members Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, the Rankings champion, and Canadian Richard T. Lee and Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden who successfully negotiated LIV Golf Promotions in January.
The Asian Tour’s Filipino ace Miguel Tabuena, third on last year’s Rankings and winner of International Series Philippines, joined the League recently as well.
Daniel Hillier was the pride of his nation today when he won the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort for the first time, following a confident day of frontrunning.
He recorded a two-shot victory over Australian Lucas Herbert, in second place, to become the first New Zealander to win the title in nine years
Hillier, the leader by one at the start of the day, fired a four-under-par 67, for a 22-under total, on the Composite course at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown, while Herbert closed with the same score.
Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura (67) and Kerry Mountcastle (71) from New Zealand tied for third, five behind Hillier.
Ikemura, runner up here three years ago, was one of four Asian Tour members in the top nine. The others were Australian Travis Smyth (68) who finished alone in fifth, while Sweden’s Charlie Lindh (67) and Wade Ormsby (70) from Australia were in a group who tied for sixth.
With Hillier already exempt for The Open, Herbert got his wish and earned the invite to the game’s oldest Major – as the event is part of the Open Qualifying Series. It was one of the main reasons why the Australian competed this week.
Daniel Hillier. Picture by Chris Symes/www.photosport.nz.
Hillier was in control the whole day. He made birdie on the ninth to reach 20 under for the first time and move two ahead of Herbert. He proceeded to drop a shot at the next before restoring his two-shot cushion with a birdie on 11. He finished it off by making birdies on 12 and 17.
The win is the perfect wedding present as his tied the knot last weekend and it completed a remarkable journey for him as he is a two-time winner of the Bledisloe Cup, which goes to the leading amateur in the event each year, in 2016 and 2018.
“I think this is going to be one of the best days of my life forever,” said Hillier.
“I don’t know what number New Zealand Open this is for me, but ever since I started playing it, it was the one I wanted to get.
“I’m so stoked I managed to do it today. Everything that came out afterwards was just pure emotion.”
The most recent Kiwi winner of the event had been Michael Hendry back in 2017, also at Millbrook Resort.
For LIV Golf star Herbert it will mark the sixth time he will play in The Open. He was thrilled to secure it while also full of praise for Hillier.
He said: “I thought it was a nice thing to look at and see Dan in his second week of marriage winning his National Open. I don’t know his life gets that much better for him.”
Lucas Herbert recieves his Open flag from former Open winners Ian Baker-Finch and Sir Bob Charles. Pictures by Chris Symes/ www.photosport.nz
The Asian Tour charts course for Japan next for the first event of the season on The International Series – the top-tier of events that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.
The International Series Japan returns to Caledonian Golf Club in Chiba from 2-5 April – offering total prizemoney of US$2million.
Australian Lucas Herbert, a winner last year on the Asian Tour, put himself in position to add to that by finishing on the shoulder of the leaders after round three of the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort today.
The tournament’s star attraction shot the second lowest round of the week, a nine-under-par 62 on Millbrook Resort’s Composite layout to move to 16-under, two behind the leader Daniel Hillier from New Zealand.
Hillier, another of the event’s favourites, shot a 64, thanks to brilliant eagle, birdie finish – in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, which is jointly sanctioned with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
Australian Curtis Luck (63) and New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle (64) are in a tie for second, one behind the frontrunner.
Herbert won the International Series Japan last year on the Asian Tour, for his sixth international victory and will be expected to push Hillier all the way tomorrow.
Daniel Hillier. Picture courtesy Photosport.
The LIV Golf star, who plays for Ripper GC on the League, was three over for three holes on the first day but has got progressively better after every day, shooting 70, 65 and 62.
“We are somewhere near going into tomorrow,” said the 30-year-old.
“It is nice to get playing some good golf and be up and around the lead going into Sunday.”
He was bogey-free today, making five birdies on the front and four on the back.
He said: “Story of my last, I think four tournaments. Have got off to a shaky start and had to fight it back from the oblivion. So, it’s good to get back, sort of in with a look in the top.”
When asked how he would prepare for championship Sunday he explained: “I will go home and kind of decompress a little bit, and then just, yeah, just … I’m gonna say a heap of cliche stuff here that is not gonna be any fun for you guys as journalists, but literally, just like, stick to processes and do the things that I’ve done for the last 53 holes or 51 holes to get myself back in this position.”
Said Hillier: “That was a crazy last few holes. I didn’t have my best early on. It was one of those days and I had to stay patient. I knew there were a couple of par-fives I could take advantage of later in the piece. Thankfully I could do that and pretty cool to get one at the last as well in front of that massive crowd.”
He will attempt to become first Kiwi to win the event since 2017.
New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya, who started the third round in the lead, returned a 70 and is 13-under in fifth.
He is tied with a trio of Asian Tour members: Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, in with a 63, and Australians Travis Smyth and Wade Ormsby, who both fired 69s.
As well as the New Zealand Open title on the line tomorrow, a place in The Open at Royal Birkdale in the summer is also up for grabs as the prestigious event is part of the Open Qualifying Series.
Asian Tour stars Travis Smyth and Wade Ormsby from Australia are in prime position to mount a serious challenge for the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort this weekend.
Smyth carded a brilliant eight-under-par 63 today and Ormsby a 65 on the Remarkables course at Millbrook Resort to finish the second round one behind the leader – New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya.
Miya shot a 67 on the Coronets and leads on 12-under – in the second event of the season on the Asian Tour, which is jointly-sanctioned with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
Smyth, whose 63 is the lowest round of the week, and Ormsby are tied with New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, who returned a 68, on Remarkables.
Kerry Mountcastle from New Zealand is in fifth following a 64 on Remarkables.
Wade Ormsby.
Asian Tour members Doyeob Mun from Korea and Indian Karandeep Kochhar enjoyed excellent days. Mun is three off the lead while Kochhar is a further shot back, after they both carded 67s on Coronets.
Smyth caught fire at the end storming through by making birdies on his final four holes.
“I don’t like to ever think that any hole is just like a given birdie,” said the 31-year-old.
“They’re all short holes, but you still have to go and hit a good drive, hit a good second, and roll in the putt. So, they were well earned. And just, yeah, pretty stoked.”
Having started on the second nine, he made nine birdies in total and dropped one shot.
After another strong season on the Asian Tour last year he is knocking on the door of a second victory on the Tour, to add to his win at the 2022 Yeangder TPC.
Last season he finished 19th on the Order of Merit and finished in the top-25 on 12 occasions, only missing two cuts in 17 starts.
He also started this season strongly by finishing third in the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship at the start of the month.
When asked how he is able to consistently perform at a high level he said: “Probably just believing in myself in the sort of high-pressure situations. You know, there’s always a handful of shots that seem difficult that maybe I haven’t pulled off as well in the past. So just sticking to my guns, just believing in myself, you know, giving a red-hot crack at it, and just doing my best.”
Ormsby, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour, completed his round late into the evening. He made birdies on 15 and 17.
A handful of groups will finish their second rounds tomorrow morning.
Karandeep Kochhar showed today why he has arrived here at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort as one of the highest ranked players on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
He returned a second-round four-under-par 67 on the Coronets course to move into contention on eight under. The Indian is just four off the clubhouse lead being set by New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya, who also fired a 67 on the same course – with the afternoon session still to finish.
Travis Smyth (63), like Kochhar an Asian Tour member, from Australia and New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier (68) are in second place, one behind Miya.
Kochhar is in fourth place on the Merit list, thanks to a fourth-place finish in the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship at the start of the month and after two testing days here it’s clear his game is back on track after a difficult few seasons.
He lost his Asian Tour card in 2024 and fought his way back last year by finishing in the top-10 on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit, which comes with the reward of a Tour card for the ensuing season,
Karandeep Kochhar in action at the Philippine Golf Championship . Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“I have just stuck to my game plan and its paid off,” said the 26-year-old from Chandigarh.
“2024 was very tough for me. I don’t really know what happened, I felt like I put in the same amount of work. I worked on the same things but it’s just golf I guess. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
“I had a really good 2023, nearly won on The International Series, and so had high expectations for 2024. Things did not pan out the way I had hoped. I worked really hard to get back.”
A three-hour delay yesterday before play started, due to heavy rain, meant that almost half the field were unable to finish their first round by the time it got dark last night at 8.15.
Kochhar was one of those and had to come back early this morning to complete three holes. The inconvenience seemed to have little effect on him as a he birdied two of them before a second round featured an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys.
“I am not going to take any of this for granted. I know what it feels like to lose your card. I have changed nothing, I think it’s just phases,” he said.
“Perhaps the only thing that has changed is my confidence in my putting stroke, that’s got better. That’s helped me make a lot of putts.”
He is also unperturbed by not being able to win the Philippine Golf Championship where he was the third-round leader. He broke the course record on the East Course of Wack Wack Golf & Country Club on day three but shot a 77 on Sunday to finish eight behind the winner Wooyoung Cho from Korea.
He explained: “What’s done is done. If someone would have told me I would finish fourth I the first event of the year and be in contention here I would have taken it.
“I think I showed a lot of good signs in the Philippines. Even when I didn’t play well on the last day it was not much to do with me. I was unlucky here and there, but the game still felt good. I felt I didn’t really crack under pressure.”
He won in Egypt on the ADT last year and with what he says is a new-found confidence with his putting stroke Kochhar might well be in the thick of the action comes Sunday afternoon.
The New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort is joint sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour. It is the second event of the season on the Asian Tour.
Recent Comments