Hillier climbed to three-under during an impressive stretch at Jumeirah Golf Estates before bogeys at the final two holes dropped him into a share of 16th.
Ryan Fox endured a tougher opening day, signing for a two-over 74 to sit tied 31st and seven strokes behind Dutch leader Joost Luiten.
Hillier Makes His Move After The Turn
Hillier reached the turn in one-over 37 before his round came alive on the Earth Course’s back nine.
He birdied the 11th and 12th, added another at the 14th and made it four gains in five holes at the 15th.
That surge moved him to three-under and firmly into the leading group.
The finish proved frustrating, with bogeys at 17 and 18 leaving Hillier with a 71 rather than the score his mid-round charge had threatened.
Even so, he remains only four strokes behind Luiten with three rounds remaining.
Fox Has Work To Do
Fox opened with birdies at the third and seventh but mixed those gains with three front-nine bogeys.
Another birdie followed at the 15th, but five bogeys overall resulted in a two-over 74.
The Open champion sits seven shots from the lead as he looks to make ground during Friday’s second round.
Luiten set the opening pace with a five-under 67, one clear of Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is among the players tied for third at three-under.
Hillier Well Placed In PGA Tour Card Race
Hillier entered the season finale fifth among the eligible players currently occupying the 10 PGA Tour qualification positions available through the Race to Dubai.
He began the week on 2,351.25 points, more than 637 clear of the first player outside those places.
That margin leaves the Kiwi strongly positioned, although his 2027 PGA Tour card will not be formally determined until the final Race to Dubai standings are settled on Sunday.
With three rounds remaining, Hillier’s immediate task is to keep himself safely inside that qualifying group while also attempting to climb the tournament leaderboard.
Friday Starts Confirmed
Fox will be first of the Kiwis onto the Earth Course in round two, teeing off at 6.25pm Friday NZDT.
Hillier follows at 7.55pm.
His opening 71 did not deliver the finish he wanted, but four birdies in five holes showed there is scoring available if he can carry that momentum into Friday.
With a PGA Tour card within reach and only four shots separating him from the lead, there remains plenty at stake.
