Stuff Sports news article
Last updated 28th July 2024.
Not even a pig of a night in Paris could take the smile off golfer Daniel Hillier’s dial.
And fair enough. After all, it’s not every day one’s birthday celebrations include floating down the River Seine to mark the opening of the Olympics.
No wonder a grinning Hillier stood on New Zealand’s boat in France’s capital on Saturday morning (NZT), unfazed by the rain, snapping photos and soaking up his first Olympics experience.
And if that wasn’t enough, before he and fellow Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox joined the Kiwi contingent at the Opening Ceremony, he was presented with a birthday cake at the athletes’ base in Paris.
“It’s been a pretty chaotic couple of days getting here, with the welcoming and the Opening Ceremony and all that sort of stuff, it’s been amazing,” the 26-year-old said on the morning of the first official day of competition.
(Kiwi golfers Ryan Fox, left, and Daniel Hillier ahead of the Opening Ceremony.
Hannah Peters / Getty Images)
“Being a part of such a big team is very different to what we’re used to, being golfers. But it’s so special at the same time, being able to mix it with all the top athletes from New Zealand, and around the world.“
Even as heavy rain pelted athletes and spectators during the four-hour Opening Ceremony, Hillier was eager to make the most of it before he and Fox relocated from Paris to a hotel on site at Le Golf National, 36km southwest of the city.
World No 176 Hillier and world No 63 Fox are among the 60-strong field which will tee off on Thursday night (NZT), and includes world No 1 Scottie Scheffler, world No 2 and defending Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, who has won two majors this year, and world No 3 Rory McIlroy.
They’re big names. But not the type of names that spring to mind when Hillier thinks of Olympians.
(Kiwi golfer Daniel Hillier is presented with a birthday cake by the New Zealand team ahead of the Olympics.
NZOC)
“Yeah, I guess when I pictured an Olympian as a kid, I was thinking track star or someone in the athletics division,” he said.
“But it’s pretty awesome that golf has been put back on the schedule (2016), and I’m very honoured that I get to participate at a relatively early stage of my career.”
A regular on the European Tour the past two seasons, a little more than a year has passed since Hillier recorded his maiden win on the second biggest tour in the world.
However, the Wellingtonian will line up on the 2018 Ryder Cup course with confidence after finishing tied for 19th – the best of the Kiwi bunch – at last week’s Open Championship, won by Schauffele.
“Yeah, last week was really special. It was brutal, but it’s a great week to prepare mentally for what’s to come this week.
“It doesn’t get bigger or much more of a pressure field than the Open Championship. It’s pretty special to come off that and have another big one here.”
On a less serious note, Hillier can only laugh at the prospect of his caddie, Englishman Henry Tomlinson, donning New Zealand kit, on a course he played during last year’s French Open.
Hillier’s plans involve a couple of practice rounds before Thursday, although they don’t include him staying on board to watch other Kiwis in action.
“I’m heading straight home. It’s been three and a half months on the road. As awesome as it would be to stick around and watch some of the other athletes afterwards, I’ve got to look after my mental health and wellbeing.
“I think it’s been a long time on the road, it will be nice to get back home for a couple of weeks before I get started again on the DP World Tour.”
