Tom McKibbin was thrilled to shut with a scorching seven beneath 63 to clinch his Masters debut and a 3rd look in The Open with a wire-to-wire seven-shot win within the Hyperlink Hong Kong Open.
The Holywood star (22) led by a shot in a single day from American MJ Maguire however stretched that result in three with a birdie to his rival’s opening bogey.
He went on to make eight birdies in all earlier than a bogey on the final left him seven forward of American Peter Uihlein with a file complete of 253.
His 27 beneath par combination broke the match scoring file by six pictures and tied the biggest margin of victory within the occasion.
It additionally catapulted him from 109th to a career-high of eighty fifth on the planet rankings.
“Yeah, it was,” McKibbin mentioned of his relentless play over the 4 days, the place he opened with a course file 60 and added a brace of 65s earlier than ending with that 63.
“It was clearly wonderful. I performed among the greatest 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.”
With Augusta Nationwide and the R&A aligning their qualifying standards this yr so as to add the Hong Kong Open to the listing of qualifying occasions, McKibbin now will be a part of fellow Hong Kong Open winner and Holywood member, Rory McIlroy, on the 2026 Masters and The Open at Royal Birkdale.
“Yeah, very excited,” he mentioned. “You already know, to return and play my third Open shall be, shall be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the primary time, it’ll be much more particular.
“You already know, I believe form of historic tournaments like this deserve their spots. And yeah, it is nice to reap the benefits of these.”
The Newtownabbey artificial 30 birdies and simply three bogeys to set a brand new successful combination at Fanling, the place Padraig Harrington gained in 2003 and McIlroy in 2011.
“Yeah, meaning lots,” he beamed. “I imply, with a match with a lot historical past behind it, and you realize, nice gamers have gained this match, to have the scoring file is fairly particular, and one thing that may undoubtedly dwell with me ceaselessly.”
Even after racing to the flip in 31 because of additional birdies on the third and eighth to steer by two pictures from Uihlein, McKibbin knew he needed to stay centered.
4 birdies in 5 holes after the flip – on the tenth, eleventh, thirteenth and 14th – stretched his lead as Uihlein made a quadruple bogey eight on the 14th.
“Yeah, it was essential,” mentioned McKibbin, who birdied the sixteenth earlier than making his lone bogey with a closing three-putt.
“You already know, two pictures can go in a short time. Three pictures can go in a short time. So, yeah, it was a bit of unusual, constructing that huge, huge lead coming in.
“It was a bit of little bit of a bizarre feeling. However, yeah, I form of simply tried to reap the benefits of the holes that had been birdie possibilities, par fives and wedge alternatives.
“So yeah, good to reap the benefits of these and form of stretch out the lead coming in,”
As for his recommendation to younger golfers at dwelling seeking to observe in his footsteps, he added, “Yeah, I suppose simply observe your desires.
“You already know, I’ve dreamt of doing this since I have been a younger child. And yeah, they arrive true if you happen to dream exhausting sufficient”
McKibbin gained $360,000 as Uihlein’s 68 gave him second place on 20 beneath and a cheque for $220,0000.
Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura (65), South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen (67) and Maguire (70) had been a shot additional again in third.
McKibbin now joins McIlroy and Lowry in subsequent week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which is the primary of the DP World Tour Playoffs.
He gained a PGA Tour card on the DP World Tour final yr however ignored McIlroy’s recommendation and went on to hitch Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII group, successful the season-long group title and a person haul of $5.77m.
