The 2026 New Zealand Open – Four Days That Had It All

The New Zealand Open at Millbrook Resort delivered everything this year, chaos, calm, low scoring, grit, and a finish that reminded us why this championship means so much to Kiwi golf.

Day One – Survive and Advance

Opening day was ruthless.

Cold rain, shifting wind, heavy air, proper Central Otago stuff. It wasn’t a scoring day. It was a survival test. Players were grinding for pars, accepting bogeys, and trying not to leak shots.

You could tell early this week wasn’t going to hand anything out for free.

The Middle Two – When the Scoring Opened Up

Then the weather eased, and the quality of the field showed.

Pins were attacked. Putters warmed up. Momentum built. The middle rounds produced some seriously impressive scoring, with players taking advantage of calmer conditions and receptive greens.

It turned into a proper championship battle, leaderboard swings, names charging, and genuine belief building.

Sunday – Pressure Dialled Up

By the final round, the edge returned.

The breeze stiffened. The pins tightened. The closing stretch demanded discipline. Every decision mattered. Every shot felt amplified.

And layered over all of it was the weight of history.

It’s been a long time since a Kiwi lifted this trophy. Every time a New Zealander gets into contention, you feel the energy shift. The galleries lean in. The noise rises. The hope builds.

That tension coming home on Sunday? You could feel it in your chest.

Congratulations Dan Hillier for getting the job done.

A Full Circle Moment for HighCut

Two years ago, Dan and I were volunteering at this event.

HighCut Golf NZ wasn’t a brand yet. It was just an idea. We were part of the volunteer group that’s makes events like this posssible, helping where we could, watching the best players in the country compete, talking about what grassroots golf in New Zealand deserved.

Fast forward two years.

And there we were watching Kerry Mountcastle, our Team HC athlete, in the final pairing on Sunday, right in the mix for the national title.

That alone was surreal.

But what made it even better?

Having his fiancé - Georgia on the bag.

Not just caddying, competing with him. Walking every step. Sharing every moment. You could see it: the smiles between shots, the calm chats under pressure, the genuine enjoyment in the middle of one of the biggest weeks of his career.

Competing for your national Open is pressure enough.

Doing it with your partner on the bag, smiling, grounded, connected, that’s something special.

It didn’t look forced. It didn’t look staged. It looked real. Two people loving the moment, embracing the stage, and going all in together.

For us, standing there watching that unfold while knowing where HighCut started, it hit differently.

From volunteers with a concept…
To seeing one of our own battling for the New Zealand Open with our logo on his chest.

That’s why we do this.

Not just to sell polos.
Not just to create cool designs.
But to be part of stories like that.

Grassroots belief.
Backing good people.
Playing the long game.

The New Zealand Open once again delivered theatre, pressure, and pride.

And for HighCut, it delivered a reminder that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.