Tom McKibbin’s first-ever begin on the Asian Tour will likely 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 shocking start-to-finish victory within the celebrated event, with a four-round mixture 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 event’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 12 months.
“Yeah, it was clearly superb,” stated the 22-year-old after his second victory as an expert.
“I performed a number of the finest golf I’ve in all probability ever performed. So, yeah, to have that kind 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 at the beginning of the day and after holding off the chasing pack on the entrance 9 – going out in three beneath 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 lots. I imply, with a event with a lot historical past behind it, and you understand, nice gamers which have gained this event, to have the scoring report is fairly particular, and one thing that may undoubtedly 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 12 months marked the primary time that Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership and The R&A have invited the winner to their Majors.
It can mark his debut within the Masters Event and third look in The Open.
“Very excited to return and play my third Open, it is going to be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the primary time ever, it is going to be much more particular. You already know, I feel kind of historic tournaments like this deserve these spots, and yeah, it’s nice to kind of make the most of these.”
