After a near miss at the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open last week Terry Pilkadaris will be seeking revenge at the European Tour co-sanctioned Indian Open in New Delhi come Thursday.

The 44-year-old played some sterling golf on the opening two days at the unorthodox DLF course last year to be inside the top-10 but stumbled badly on a difficult Saturday to tumble more than 30 places down the standings.

His eventual T40 finish was predominantly a result of that third round 80 but on current form it is difficult to see him succumbing to such mistakes this week.

It was an impressive display from Pilkadaris over the opening three rounds, where he made just one bogey for the week, in New Zealand and only a cold putter on Sunday allowed Daniel Nisbet to pass him for the title, a disappointment that will likely be motivation this week.

Pilkadaris and David Gleeson are the two Asian Tour players among the eight Australians in the field, European regulars Wade Oemsby, Scott Hend, Marcus Fraser, Jason Norris, Andrew Dodt and Jason Scrivener are also in the field.

Like Pilkadaris, Ormsby comes off a week where he posted three good rounds after his debut WGC appearance in Mexico.

The reigning UBS Hong Kong Open champion was on the back foot from the outset after posting an opening round 79 at the Chapultapec course but put up a brave fight over the last three rounds.

From 8-over on day one he fought his way back to 2-over at week’s end, testament to both his mental strength and the state of his physical game.

Andrew Dodt, Scott Hend and Marcus Fraser all played last week in Queenstown, Dodt and Fraser both finishing under par while Hend, unexpectedly it must be said, missed the cut.

All will find this week’s course a unique challenge, the Gary Player design seeing only seven players break par for 72 holes when it made its debut last year.

West Australian Terry Pilkadaris has cruised to a handy five shot lead heading into the final round of the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open.

Starting the day with a one shot lead, Pilkadaris was a birdie machine as he fired 9-under 62 to be 24-under the card after three rounds in Queenstown.

This was the second bogey free round for Pilkadaris who has played just one hole over par in the 54 holes completed so far.

“That round was unbelievable. I was hitting putts towards the end and they were all going in and I thought wow. It is one of those things – I tried not to get in my own way in the end,” said Pilkadaris.

“I only missed one green all day on the fifth and I chipped it in. I was never really in trouble and kept giving myself chances and made some putts.”

However it wasn’t all plain sailing on course for Pilkadaris who became ill during his round.

“I got to the 11^th and felt unwell. After I hit my tee shot on the 13th I had to visit the house by the tee and ask the people to use their toilet. I thanked them for their hospitality and they said I was not the first,” added Pilkadaris.

“It was the same after the 14^th and I had to swing it easy towards the end. The Tour gave me some tablets to settle things down.

“I will chill back tonight. We are staying at Cardrona. I have my lucky roommate with me Peter Wilson. Every time I travel with him I play well. We will cook a meal and just hang out.

“I am due to cook but I made breakfast and got ill, so I might have to review that.”

It has been 13 years since Pilkadaris last won on the Asian Tour while he has never won on his home tour; the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Despite his strong lead, Pilkadaris believes there is still a long way to go before he can etch his name on the Brodie Breeze Trophy.

“I am not taking anything for granted – 18 holes is still a lot of golf to play. I will go about my business and if it is good weather again, I will look to make as many birdies as I can,” added Pilkadaris.

“Tomorrow depends on the weather. If it is benign like this then someone is going to shoot low and then I will have to be aggressive on the holes you can be aggressive on.”

To claim the win Pilkadaris will need to hold at bay some young rising stars of Australian golf including Novocastrian Callan O’Reilly who is seeking his first career win.

O’Reilly fired 5-under 66 today to be outright second on 19-under the card heading into the final round.

“I just have to go out and play golf. It is one of those weird games that you don’t know what’s going to happen. Sometimes early birdies can put some pressure on players,” said O’Reilly.

“It is pretty good playing by Terry and a pretty fair number to set after three rounds.”

At outright third on 18-under the card after three rounds is Queenslander Daniel Nisbet while Victorian David Bransdon, American Jarin Todd and New South Welshman Harrison Endycott are all tied fourth a shot further back.

While the big gun New Zealanders bowed out of their national open early, amateur Daniel Hillier gave the Kiwi galleries plenty to cheer about today.

The highest ranked Kiwi amateur in the world, Hillier fired 7-under 65 to be tied 7^th after three rounds.

“I think in the circumstances, it was the best round of my life. I started the day slowly but managed to get a few putts halfway through and kept trucking from there. I am stoked with how it went today,” said Hillier.

“It is the first time I’ve been in contention in the New Zealand Open. I am looking forward to what is ahead and quite excited as well. I have a great support crew here.”

Hillier is joined on the leaderboard by Emirates Australian Open champion Cameron Davis, Queenslander Jake McLeod, American Berry Henson and New South Welshman Travis Smyth.

The highlight of the day belonged to New South Welshman Nick Flanagan who got his day off to an ace start recording a hole-in-one on the 123 metre par-3 2^nd hole using his gap wedge.

“The ball has been getting to the hole quick the past few days so I took a little bit off and hit it perfect,” said Flanagan about his fifth ace but first in tournament play.

“It landed a foot short, went past, spun back and took a while to spin back in. You never expect them to go in and then they disappear, so it is always a good one.”

A swag of Australian players are lining up to claim back the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open title with Terry Pilkadaris leading the tournament into the weekend.

New Zealander Michael Hendry’s win last year broke a run of five straight victories by players from across the ditch, but a new course record by Callan O’Reilly provided the individual highlight as a number of Australians put themselves into contention to take the silverware back across the Tasman.

Pilkadaris shot to the front of the pack with two birdies in his last three holes at The Hills, another quality finish after he closed out his opening round at Millbrook Resort with five straight birdies on Thursday.

“I didn’t really get into too much trouble. A bogey on 12 was my only blemish, but that was only my third hole,” said Pilkadaris.

“It was a little bit of everything, but I didn’t get in too much trouble and when I did miss a green I chipped it in.”

Pilkadaris has played on the Asian Tour since 2002, the last of his three wins on that tour coming at the Brunei Open a frustrating 13 years ago.

“It does because I have had something like six runner-up finishes, that’s the frustrating thing since my last victory. To win a golf tournament you have to have a little bit of luck and sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t.”

The lack of wind meant Pilkadaris was unable to draw on the experience of master yachtsman Sir Russell Coutts, who was part of the playing group in the pro-am format.

“I was going to ask him a couple of things, but there was no breeze to really factor in today.”

O’Reilly, who sits a shot back on 14-under the card alongside Daniel Nisbet, had the sort of day that all golfers dream about.

Starting the day at 3-under the card, he made the turn with a respectable 6-under and then burnt up the back nine, making birdie on every hole except the 15th for a 28 and a new course record for The Hills of 11-under 61.

“It is one of those things golf – it is not the most sane game you ever played,” O’Reilly said of his lowest score on a golf course.

“I played good golf, gave myself opportunities and made them. It is all you can do,” he said.

“I have been playing good. I did a little bit of work on Tuesday trying to fix the driver a little bit but it was outstanding today.”

Travis Smyth is a shot further back at 13-under the card, with fellow Australians Harrison Endycott and Jamie Arnold joining New Zealand’s Harry Bateman and Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino at 12-under the card.

Bateman was the leading New Zealander for a second round after a chocolate box of a walk around The Hills that included two bogeys, a double bogey, an eagle and seven birdies.

He finished a shot ahead of compatriot Tim Wilkinson after the former PGA Tour player had 29 on the front-9 but left some shots behind on the back-9.

“I enjoyed The Hills. It is a beautiful golf course. It is very score-able, if you hit your irons well there are slopes to help the ball get close,” Wilkinson said.

“I feel I have played pretty well, but not as well as I have hit in the last couple of months. I am a bit off with my longer shots.”

It was a forgettable day for some high profile Kiwis, with defending champion Michael Hendry (-4) and New Zealand number one Ryan Fox (-6) both missing the cut that was made at 7-under the card.

Fox gave himself a chance when he picked up three shots over the 16th and 17th, but a three putt on Millbrook’s 18th island green ended his hopes.

A missed birdie putt on 17 and a bogey on 18 meant an early exit for Hendry at Millbrook, who at least had good company alongside the likes of Korean golfing star K.J. Choi (-6), Steve Alker (-5), and one of last year’s runners-up and 2011 champion Brad Kennedy (-5).

The cut was made at 7-under the card with 62 Professionals and two amateurs making the weekend rounds.