Harry Hillier wins Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Harry Hillier maintained a 54-hole lead to claim his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory and win by eight strokes at the Inter Rapidísimo Golf Championship. With this being the final event of the Latin America Swing, Hillier moved to No. 2 in the Fortinet Cup to secure conditional status on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour, and lock in exemptions to the Korn Ferry Tour’s first four Latin America events next season (Panama, Bogota, Argentina, Chile). Additionally, he will continue to compete in the season-long race for the Fortinet Cup, as the top 10 players at the end of the season will earn fully exempt status on Korn Ferry Tour in 2025.

After shooting a record-breaking 13-under 59 on Friday, Hillier took the solo lead for the first time this season and maintained a five-stroke lead over James Swash throughout Saturday’s third round and into the final round on Sunday. A 2-under par front nine followed by a bogey-free, 3-under par back nine cemented Hillier’s dominance of the leaderboard. He extended his lead to eight strokes with a birdie on the 17th hole and finished with a par on No. 18 to finish at 26-under for the tournament.

When asked about the meaning of his victory, Hillier explains the nature of tracking down his first win and sharing the triumph with others on his team: “I'm stoked, I'm over the moon. I cannot wait to get back to Kansas City and celebrate with my friend, my brother. I'm sure I'll get a FaceTime from Mom and Dad here soon… this isn't just me, this is my team, the guys that have helped me out, Mom, Dad, sponsors. I'm just the one hitting the golf ball, they're the ones doing the most help. Yeah, I'm over the moon and I'm glad I get to share this one with them. It means a lot,” says Hillier.

Hillier moved up 18 spots in the Fortinet Cup standings with his win on Sunday. The New Zealand native started the week at No. 20 and was one of 28 players who had the chance to finish in the top two of the Fortinet Cup to earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2025 season. Hillier secured the No. 2 position in the standings behind Matthew Anderson who held the No. 1 spot since his win at the 69th ECP Brazil Open. Anderson finished tied for third at the Inter Rapidísimo Golf Championship and joined Hillier in securing Korn Ferry Tour benefits for 2025.

Prior to Sunday’s win, Hillier tied his best career performance at the KIA Open two weeks ago with a T3 finish. His other top-three finish came at the 2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Diners Club Peru Open. That specific finish helped surge Hillier into the top 60 of the Totalplay Cup standings and secure membership into the inaugural season of PGA TOUR Americas.

Prior to turning professional in 2022, the 24-year-old played collegiately at the University of Kansas for five seasons. He joined his brother, Charlie Hillier, for two seasons as a Jayhawk before Charlie turned professional following his senior season in 2019. Hillier’s top collegiate performances included eight top-5 finishes and two individual victories (The Jackrabbit/2018, Hawkeye Invitational/2022). He finished his senior year with a 70.83 scoring average and led his team with a –0.67 average vs. par.

Now a Kansas local, Hillier and his brother Charlie teach golf at a performance academy called The Golf Stable located in Kansas City during their time off from tournaments. Founded by Kevin Ward, the Hillier brothers are part of a community that teaches the game of golf to all ages, and is directed towards those who are looking to improve their game.

With the perks of tournament winner status and a No. 2 finish in the Fortinet Cup, Hillier earned exempt membership to the North America Swing. Hillier will explore new territory in Canada, as he will venture to the country for the first time: “I've never been to Canada and I heard it's beautiful. I think it's a lot like New Zealand, green. I've never been up there. I'm just looking to a new experience like coming down here last year, it's just a whole new experience. You get to see the world living out your dream, so I'm just excited for what's to come,” says Hillier.

Including Hillier, the top 60 players in the Fortinet Cup earned exempt membership into Segment II of the PGA TOUR Americas season. The North America Swing will begin June 20-23 with The Beachlands Victoria Open presented by Times Colonist in Victoria, British Colombia. With a month-long stretch before then, six Q-School sites will be held to welcome new members into the second portion of the season. Additionally, finishers 6-25 in the graduating class of PGA TOUR University will earn status for the North America Swing.

About Harry Hillier (1st/26-under)

Age: 24
Birthplace: Te Puke, New Zealand
Residence: Overland Park, Kansas
College: University of Kansas
Fortinet Cup: 2nd

• With the win, becomes an exempt member on PGA TOUR Americas for the remainder of the 2024 season and through the Latin America Swing of 2025; earned 500 points and is No. 2 in the Fortinet Cup.
• With a No. 2 finish in the Fortinet Cup following the conclusion of the Latin America Swing, earns conditional Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2025 season and secured exemptions into the first four Latin America events on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour; additionally, he will continue to compete in the season-long race for the Fortinet Cup, as the top 10 players at the end of the season will earn fully exempt status on Korn Ferry Tour in 2025.
• Started golf at the age of 10 before he gave it up for a year; he returned to the game at 12 years old and ended up choosing golf over soccer due to his love for the individualistic nature of the game.
• In his time off, teaches golf with his brother Charlie at a community called The Golf Stable; a golf performance academy that teaches all ages for those who seek to improve their game.
• His favorite artist is mike.
• Grew up an Arsenal fan, and upon moving to the States became a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
• Met his caddie Eduardo Jiménez in Argentina at a PGA TOUR Latinoamérica event in 2023. Jiménez goes by the nickname “Rulo” and travels around South America with Hillier as his caddie.
• Brother, Charlie, is also a professional golfer; splits his time on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas.
• Majored in general studies at the University of Kansas where he played collegiate golf for five seasons (2018-2022).
• Growing up, he and his brother excelled in soccer. Their grandfathers—on both sides—played in the English Premier League, one for Chelsea and one for Fulham.

Competition notes

Course Setup: Par 72/7,464 yards; Cumulative average: 71.390
Weather: Cloudy with a high of 70 degrees. Wind from the east at 3-7 mph with gusts up to 17 mph.

• Harry Hillier (New Zealand) claimed his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned victory and recorded the lowest tournament total in PGA TOUR Americas history (26-under, 262)
• Matthew Anderson (Canada) and Hillier finished in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the Fortinet Cup, respectively; each earned exemptions into the first four Latin America events on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour, as well as conditional status for the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2025 season.
• With their rounds today, nine players moved into the top 60 to earn exempt membership to the North America Swing: T8/Brendon Doyle (Fortinet Cup: 60th), T29/Martin Contini (Fortinet Cup: 59th), T26/Rafael Becker (Fortinet Cup: 56th), T16/Rafael Echenique (Fortinet Cup: 52nd), T16/Franco Romero (Fortinet Cup: 49th), 13th/Agustin Errázuriz (Fortinet Cup: 45th), T6/Alex Weiss (Fortinet Cup: 37th), 5th/Eddy Lai (Fortinet Cup: 28th) and 2nd/Blake Tomlinson (Fortinet Cup: 12th)
• Hillier recorded the first sub-60 score in PGA TOUR Americas history with a 13-under 59 in the second round.
• Jesus Montenegro (Argentina) recorded the lowest score of the final round with a 6-under 66.
• 60 players made the 3-under par cutline; this ties the 69th ECP Brazil Open with the lowest cutline and marks the largest margin between the leader and cutline at 14 strokes (Leader/17-under, Cutline/3-under)
• Eddy Lai was the lead Monday Qualifier who made the cut (5th/15-under).
• Club El Rincón de Cajicá played .610 strokes under par; averaging -.280 on the front nine and -.330 on the back-nine