Daniel Hillier closed with a one-over 73 to finish tied 22nd at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, ending a week of three rounds in the 60s with his bid for a 2027 PGA Tour card still central to the season’s final act.
Daniel Hillier’s Abu Dhabi week ended with a drop out of the top 10, but the larger opportunity remains: turning a strong DP World Tour season into playing rights in the United States.
The Wellington golfer signed for a closing 73 at Yas Links on Sunday, finishing at 11-under 277 after rounds of 69, 67 and 68 had put him tied eighth overnight.
He finished in a share of 22nd, 12 strokes behind champion Jon Rahm. It was his first over-par score of the tournament.
Three Strong Days, Then A Step Back
An opening 69 put Hillier at three under, a second-round 67 took him to eight under, and Saturday’s 68 lifted him to 12 under.
That third consecutive round in the 60s moved him into the top 10, six shots behind Rahm with one round remaining.
The closing 73 cost him one stroke against par and 14 places on the leaderboard.
Across the four rounds, Hillier averaged 69.25 strokes.
What Hillier Needs For A PGA Tour Card
Hillier heads to the season finale inside the qualification places for a 2027 PGA Tour card, with one tournament remaining to settle the standings.
The pathway awards membership to the 10 highest-ranked eligible DP World Tour players in the final Race to Dubai who are not already exempt on the PGA Tour. Players who already hold that status are passed over, allowing golfers further down the overall rankings to qualify.
After Abu Dhabi, Hillier sits ninth overall on 2,351.25 points. That puts him inside the qualifying group at present, and his position in the card race is stronger than ninth because the overall standings also include already-exempt players.
His task at the DP World Tour Championship, played at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 12 to 15, is to finish the season among those leading 10 eligible players.
He does not need to win in Dubai, and there is no fixed score or finishing position he must achieve. Qualification depends on his final points total compared with those of the other eligible contenders.
A strong finish would add points and make him harder to catch; a lower finish would leave more room for rivals to close the gap.
Hillier is defending a favourable position rather than chasing a place from outside the qualifying group. His card has not yet been confirmed as mathematically secure, so he remains in a qualifying position, with membership yet to be confirmed.
Rahm Finishes The Job
Rahm closed with a five-under 67 to win on 23-under 265, two strokes ahead of Tyrrell Hatton. Rory McIlroy finished third at 19 under.
For Hillier, the focus now turns to the bigger prize still at stake: finishing the season in the group that earns a PGA Tour card.
| Player | Position | Overall | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jon Rahm | 1st | −23 | 65 | 67 | 66 | 67 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 2nd | −21 | 67 | 65 | 67 | 68 |
| Rory McIlroy | 3rd | −19 | 70 | 63 | 67 | 69 |
| Daniel Hillier | T22 | −11 | 69 | 67 | 68 | 73 |
