31 July 2021: Daniel Hillier carded an eight under 62 at Galgorm to move into the halfway lead in the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management. Ajeetesh Sandhu added an even par 70 to a first round 68 and he is lying T34 at 2-under after 36 holes.
Gaganjeet Bhullar was the best Indian on the day, making three-under 67. That helped him address the damage he suffered in an opening 72. Shubhankar Sharma added an even 70 to his opening 69 to sit alongside Bhullar.
The 23-year-old from New Zealand is highly regarded as a future star and has already played in two Major Championships in his short professional career, pre-qualifying for both the 2019 U.S. Open and The 2021 Open at Royal St George’s just two weeks ago.
Having opened his account this week with a three under 67 at the more difficult Massereene Golf Club, Hillier registered nine birdies and a single bogey at Galgorm to move to an 11 under total, earning him a one-stroke advantage over Jordan Smith.
Teeing off at the tenth at Massereene, first round leader Smith endured a nightmare start as he double-bogeyed his first hole but he bounced back and three birdies in his final four holes, including a closing birdie at the ninth, helped him to a two under 68 and a ten under total.
In the women’s event, the USA’s Emma Talley moved into a commanding lead as a seven under 65 moved her three shots clear of the field on 13 under par, with her compatriot Jennifer Kupcho and Korea’s Chella Choi the closest challengers on ten under heading into the weekend.
Player Quotes
Daniel Hillier: “It was really good out there. Made the most of some pretty benign conditions in the morning and got off to a good start. Managed to sink a couple more near the end. But yeah, I’ve hit it really well. Made one bad swing on hole 11 and made bogey there, but apart from that it was really solid.
“I’ve been playing well the last couple of months, just haven’t really put four rounds together yet. Yeah, obviously in pretty good position at the moment, so yeah, just going to keep riding the wave and stick to the game plan and see how we go.
“I have played pretty well in Ireland in the past. Yeah, I don’t know. I guess conditions are somewhat similar to home. Yeah, I mean, just really love the place, and obviously, I don’t know, something about it that allows me to play good golf.”
Scores
129 D HILLIER (NZL) 67 62,
130 J SMITH (ENG) 62 68,
132 G PORTEOUS (ENG) 68 64, D HORSEY (ENG) 67 65,
133 M SCHMID (GER) 64 69, N ELVIRA (ESP) 66 67, C PIGEM (ESP) 70 63, E PEPPERELL (ENG) 66 67,
134 M KAWAMURA (JPN) 65 69, D DRYSDALE (SCO) 64 70, V NORRMAN (SWE) 69 65, J MORRISON (ENG) 67 67, J HARDING (RSA) 70 64, A CANIZARES (ESP) 66 68, J SENIOR (ENG) 68 66,
135 O FARR (WAL) 67 68, J CATLIN (USA) 69 66, D VAN DRIEL (NED) 70 65, A SADDIER (FRA) 69 66,
136 D LAW (SCO) 67 69, T MCKIBBIN (NIR) 67 69, J KRUYSWIJK (RSA) 67 69, J WRISDALE (ENG) 69 67, W BESSELING (NED) 69 67, D WHITNELL (ENG) 67 69, D GAVINS (ENG) 71 65, B EVANS (ENG) 70 66,
137 M WARREN (SCO) 69 68, R MCEVOY (ENG) 68 69, T JAIDEE (THA) 67 70, D PAPADATOS (AUS) 69 68, S TARRIO (ESP) 70 67, L BJERREGAARD (DEN) 69 68,
138 T MURRAY (ENG) 70 68, A CHESTERS (ENG) 68 70, S THORNTON (IRL) 70 68, A LEVY (FRA) 69 69, A SULLIVAN (ENG) 67 71, C HILL (SCO) 66 72, D MCELROY (NIR) 72 66, M ANTCLIFF (AUS) 68 70, F LAPORTA (ITA) 69 69, A SANDHU (IND) 68 70, P ANGLES (ESP) 71 67, M ARMITAGE (ENG) 71 67, C SYME (SCO) 72 66, P PETERSON (USA) 69 69, B HENSON (USA) 70 68,
139 M SCHMITT (GER) 66 73, J GONNET (FRA) 71 68, R SCIOT-SIEGRIST (FRA) 69 70, E DE LA RIVA (ESP) 67 72, B WINDRED (AUS) 69 70, R LUMSDEN (SCO) 69 70, G BHULLAR (IND) 72 67, B DREDGE (WAL) 68 71, S SHARMA (IND) 70 69,
140 N KEARNEY (IRL) 69 71, D COUPLAND (ENG) 71 69, G FDEZ-CASTA?O (ESP) 69 71, B POKE (DEN) 68 72, H LEON (CHI) 67 73, C SORDET (FRA) 73 67, S KIM (USA) 68 72, B RITTHAMMER (GER) 71 69, J SURI (USA) 73 67, B EASTON (RSA) 70 70, N HOJGAARD (DEN) 72 68
