Fox, Hillier, Kobori set to play in Australia
- Dave Worsley
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 7
Ryan Fox will lead a trio of New Zealand golfers at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
Fox, the winner of the Canadian Open and Myrtle Beach Classic in 2025, Fox will return to Australia for the first time since 2022, joining fellow Kiwis Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori as confirmed contenders for the Joe Kirkwood Cup from November 27-30.
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The trio have a combined 31 victories worldwide in professional events, two Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit titles and will be trying to break a 26-year drought for New Zealanders at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.
Enjoying a career-best year, Fox’s Official World Golf Ranking has climbed to No.34 and he is currently ranked No.32 in the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup standings.
His list of 19 wins worldwide includes three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia titles – the 2014 WA Open, 2015 Queensland PGA and 2019 World Super Six – on the way to becoming NZ’s long-time No.1 men’s professional and an established star on the DP World Tour and now the PGA TOUR.
“It’s going to be a great Summer of Golf in Australia and being part of it at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland is something I’m very much looking forward to," said Fox.
“I had some good success on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in my very early days on Tour which helped to give my career a nice kick along. Winning one of the big tournaments like the PGA would be a real highlight.
“Brisbane is also close to home so lots of friends and family will hopefully get the chance to come out which should make for a really enjoyable week.”
Bound for the PGA TOUR if he continues his 2025 form on the DP World Tour, Hillier has seven professional victories on his resume, including the 2023 British Masters, and is currently 13th on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings.
Hillier almost secured a second DP World Tour title earlier this year, finishing as the runner-up in the Dubai Desert Classic.
Like Fox, Kobori is a past winner of the Order of Merit and Player of the Year titles on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, claiming the honour for the 2023/24 season when he won three tournaments in his rookie year as a professional.
Kobori has consolidated his position on the DP World Tour, recently posting a season-best third place at the BMW International in Germany.
PGA of Australia Nick Dastey General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships said he was delighted the top three Kiwis on the Official World Golf Ranking had signed on for this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship.
“Having Ryan, Daniel and Kazuma in our field, representing the best of New Zealand men’s golf, is a huge plus for this year’s tournament,” Dastey said.
“Ryan is in the middle of the best year of his career, proving once again what an outstanding competitor he is by winning twice against the best in the world on the PGA TOUR.
“His presence is going to add tremendous interest, especially from Kiwi golf fans who will get to see their No.1 back on his home tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Likewise, Daniel and Kazuma have already had great results in 2025 and would no doubt love to add the BMW Australian PGA Championship to their list of achievements.
“We haven’t had a Kiwi winner since Greg Turner in 1999, but with these three great contenders in the field, plus the other New Zealand pros who will join them from our Tour, you definitely can’t discount it this year.”
