WHIRLWIND WHITNEY
Whitney Hillier is going places, and quickly.
The Australian maintained a blistering season on the Ladies European Tour with fifth place at the Aramco Team Series — London, five shots behind eventual winner Bronte Law at Centurion Club.
This adds to a whirlwind month or so for the Australian, as it follows on from her team victory at the inaugural ATS event and 2022 series opener in Bangkok last month and an agonising play-off defeat to Tiia Koivisto of Finland at the Jabra Ladies Open in France.
“It has been an incredible few weeks,” Whitney told Golf Digest Middle East. “The ATS team win was special for me because my mum was born in Bangkok and to win in her homeland meant a lot. My game has been trending in a good direction for a few years now, so its nice to see the hard work and patience paying off.
“To play well last week in London at the ATS has given me more belief and confidence to push for more success.”
The Aramco series has certainly been a happy hunting ground for Hillier, who admits she is enjoying a bit of variety on tour. “It’s a great concept to give what is usually an individual sport a team element, something we don’t usually get to experience, while also showcasing the level of golf on the Ladies European Tour in a format that is innovative and exciting,” she said, while also acknowledging the boost the ladies game has received from the extra funding coming in from Aramco and Golf Saudi. “It’s huge for women’s golf,” she said. “To have the support and funding provided by Aramco and Golf Saudi shows their belief in what we do. Increasing our playing and earning opportunities is something we are all really grateful for.”
Like fellow players Bronte Law, Olivia Jackson and Olivia Cowan, Whitney is also happy to see the growth of mixed events on tour, such as the Scandinavian Mixed, where Linn Grant recently defeated the DP World Tour guys to claim the title.
“Playing alongside the guys is always fun, its something I’ve had the opportunity to do down in Australia at the Vic Open, so having the chance to do it around the world is exciting,” Hillier said. “Playing for the same prize fund sometimes brings about some complications, but it’s definitely always something I enjoy. It was great to see Linn win in Sweden, showing that us girls can really compete against the guys. The standard of golf in the ladies game is really good and is improving each and every year.”