Daniel Hillier went from groom to New Zealand Open champion in the space of eight days.
The newly married Wellington golfer sent the Millbrook crowd delirious when he sailed home to win the $2 million Open by two shots yesterday.
Hillier became the first Kiwi winner of the tournament since Michael Hendry in 2017 with a sublime display of controlled golf, firing rounds of 63, 68, 64 and 67 to finish at 22-under-par.
He finished two shots clear of dangerous Australian golfer Lucas Herbert.
After Hillier completed a safe par on the 18th hole to secure his victory, he pumped his arms furiously in a rare display of emotion, hugged wife Siobhan and his parents and was doused with bubbly by a group of mates including fellow New Zealand golfer Kazuma Kobori.
“That is the second-best day of my life behind my wedding last week,” Hillier told Sky Sport.
“It’s a lot more stressful, coming down the stretch there.
“But this has been the absolute best week of my life.
“To break the Kiwi drought … pretty special to do it in front of my family, all my friends, my wife.
“I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time, and I knew I had the game to do it. It was just a matter of not getting ahead of myself.”
Hillier claimed $334,800 for the victory as well as getting his name on the Brodie Breeze Trophy for the first time.