Tom McKibbin’s first-ever begin on the Asian Tour will probably be remembered for a very long time after he gained the US$2million Hyperlink Hong Kong Open – on the Hong Kong Golf Membership.
A final-round seven-under-par 63 noticed the Northern Irishman full a surprising start-to-finish victory within the celebrated match, with a four-round combination of 27-under 253.
American Peter Uihlein was his nearest challenger. Uihlein closed with a 68 to complete seven behind, whereas Tomoyo Ikemura (65) from Japan, South African Louis Oosthuizen (67) and America’s MJ Maguire (70) tied for third, a shot additional again within the seventh of 9 occasions on The Worldwide Collection, the set of LIV Golf-backed tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar.
McKibbin’s efficiency noticed him break the match’s 72-hole low scoring whole and match its greatest margin of victory, whereas it additionally earned him a spot in The Open and Masters Event subsequent yr.
“Yeah, it was clearly wonderful,” mentioned the 22-year-old after his second victory as knowledgeable.
“I performed a number of the finest golf I’ve in all probability ever performed. So, yeah, to have that form of golf and to shoot these scores round right here is fairly particular.”
The LIV Golf star, who performs for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII workforce, had a one-shot lead over Maguire firstly of the day and after holding off the chasing pack on the entrance 9 – going out in three underneath with birdies on one, three and eight – he pulled away on the second half with birdies on 10, 11, 13, 14, and 16.
A bogey on the final was solely his third of the week.
He added: “It means so much. I imply, with a match with a lot historical past behind it, and you recognize, nice gamers which have gained this match, to have the scoring file is fairly particular, and one thing that may positively reside with me eternally.”
The earlier lowest 72 whole was 22-under – held by José María Olazábal (2002), Ian Poulter (2010), and Patrick Reed (2024) – whereas each Bernhard Langer and Invoice Brask gained by seven in 1991 and 1984 respectively.
It was a well timed victory by the younger Northern Irishman as this yr marked the primary time that Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership and The R&A have invited the winner to their Majors.
It’ll mark his debut within the Masters Event and third look in The Open.
“Very excited to return and play my third Open, it will likely be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the primary time ever, it will likely be much more particular. You understand, I believe form of historic tournaments like this deserve these spots, and yeah, it’s nice to form of benefit from these.”
