An Automatic BMW iX5 60 xDrive X – G65 (61HV) has found its owner. Daniel Hillier is the first player at this year’s Open de España presented by Madrid to make the headlines after a spectacular hole-in-one at the 17th. Courtesy of BMW, the tournament sponsor, he will leave Madrid with a brand-new car.
186 yards. One perfect shot. Pitching just a foot from the flag, the ball slowly spun back and dropped into the cup. The New Zealander has just given the Open de España one of the moments of the week.
Hillier began his round at the 10th and needed just eight holes to make his first major mark on the tournament. At the 17th, a par 3 playing 187 yards today, he recorded the first hole-in-one of this year’s event and provisionally moved to the top of the leaderboard.
The achievement was even more impressive because of how it came about. Hillier had to wait several minutes on the 17th tee before he could play his shot. The group ahead, which included Eugenio Chacarra, had been held up because there was uncertainty over whether the Spaniard’s ball was on the fringe or in the rough. As preferred lies were in play today, he called for a referee to clarify the situation. With a lengthy delay and an unexpected wait, the tension was building on the tee of one of the course’s most demanding holes.
When his turn finally came, Hillier hit one of the shots of his life. It was an outrageous shot to get the tournament off to a spectacular start.
Hillier’s moment of magic could not have come in a more demanding place. The 17th is one of Real Club de Campo’s most devilish holes. The par 3 is a true test of the players’ precision, in fact its green is the smallest on the entire DP World Tour. It is a tiny target, protected by three bunkers, where any mistake can prove extremely costly.
