Daniel Hillier in Australian Open contention as Kiwi chases historic win

Daniel Hillier of New Zealand plays a bunker shot on the third hole on day three of the Australian Open 2025 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Photo / Getty Images

Daniel Hillier remains within touching distance of being the first New Zealander to win the Australian Open but it may take something special to chase down Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.

Hillier sits four shots off the lead going into tomorrow’s final round at Royal Melbourne after shooting a four-under 67 thanks to a superb 32 on the back nine.

Neergaard-Petersen (14-under) birdied the final three holes to card his second 66 of the week and stretch out his lead to two shots over local hope Cameron Smith, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Mexican Carlos Ortez at 12-under.

Spaniard Jose Luis Ballester is a further shot back, while Hillier shares sixth place at 10-under with friend Min Woo Lee and his Australian compatriot Adam Scott.

Hillier was even-par through the front nine with a bogey and a birdie before going on a hot run home with four birdies in a row from the par four 11th hole. That meant he moved to nine-under before he finished his day with a birdie at the 18th. It is his third score in the 60s this week as he looks to back up his fifth placing at last week’s Australia PGA Championship with another strong finish.

Ryan Fox dropped down the field to a share of 15th after his second straight par round of 71.

Fox had a horrid run on the front nine with four straight bogeys starting from the second hole, which meant he dropped to two-under. But he recovered well and took 10 holes to recover back to even-par for the day. First, he had back-to-back birdies, making a two at the par-three seventh for the second time this week.

Fox then birdied 14 and 15, which he also did in his opening round, to get back to six-under, where he started Saturday and also ended Thursday.

World No 2 Rory McIlroy shot a three-under 68 for the second straight day to sit at five-under just outside the top 20.

Of other Kiwis who made the cut, Tyler Hodge at two-under after an even-par 71 is in a share of 41st with Nick Voke, who shot 70 for the second straight day. Kerry Mountcastle is two shots back in a share of 53rd.