Tom McKibbin is wanting ahead to recharging for his subsequent run of occasions after developing simply quick in his bid for a second DP World Tour title on the Industrial Financial institution Qatar Masters.
The Holywood star (21) went into the ultimate spherical only a shot behind leaders Rasmus Højgaard, Ugo Coussaud and Rikuya Hoshino.
However whereas he closed with a two-under 70, he needed to accept his second successive top-10 end at Doha Golf Membership, the place he completed solo fourth on 11-under, simply three pictures behind Japanese star Hoshino.
“General, it was a reasonably good week and to complete up there and have an opportunity right now was good,” mentioned McKibbin, who received to inside a shot of Hoshino with two holes to go however ended up three behind the winner.
“I’d must say that general, it was an excellent week. I did not play 100pc right now, however I nonetheless gave it a go.”
In search of his first DP World Tour win, Japanese star Hoshino birdied the sixteenth and seventeenth earlier than making a clutch four-foot par putt on the 18th for a 68 and a one-stroke win from Coussaud (69) on 14-under.
After grinding out 9 straight pars on the demanding entrance 9, McKibbin was only one behind Hoshino after his chip and putt birdie on the tenth.
However whereas Hoshino birdied the tenth to go two clear once more, McKibbin saved himself within the hunt with one other affected person show to clinch his third top-16 end from as many begins this 12 months.
He was tied for third enjoying the twelfth after Scott Jamieson’s faucet in eagle two from a foot on the 300-yard sixteenth left him one again on 11-under.
Jamieson then received up and down from a greenside bunker for a closing birdie 4 to return residence in 30 and card a seven-under 65 that gave him the clubhouse lead on 12-under.
Whereas Coussaud birdied the 14th to make it a three-way tie on the prime, McKibbin minimize a sensational drive into the center of the sixteenth and two putted from 26 toes for birdie to shut inside a shot of the three leaders.
It seemed as if he would wish an eagle on the final to have an opportunity, however whereas he produced two magnificent strikes to seek out the inexperienced in two, Hoshino adopted a two-putt birdie on the sixteenth with a vital birdie two from 26 toes on the seventeenth.
That left him two away from Jamieson and Coussaud on 14-under and three forward of the Ulsterman, who ended up three-putting the 18th from 122 toes for par and a closing 70 to complete three behind.
He nonetheless picked up €116,020 to maneuver up ten spots to twenty second within the Race to Dubai and is now wanting ahead to a fortnight at residence earlier than hitting the street once more.
“Yeah, couple of weeks off after which again for 2 in South Africa and Singapore,” McKibbin mentioned.
