Hong Kong, Nov 2 (IANS) Tom McKibbin’s first-ever start on the Asian Tour will be remembered for a long time as he won the USD 2 million Hong Kong Open at the prestigious Hong Kong Golf Club here on Sunday.
A final-round seven-under-par 63 saw the Northern Irishman complete a stunning start-to-finish victory in the celebrated tournament, with a four-round aggregate of 27-under 253.
American Peter Uihlein was his nearest challenger. Uihlein closed with a 68 to finish seven behind, while Tomoyo Ikemura (65) from Japan, South African Louis Oosthuizen (67), and America’s MJ Maguire (70) tied for third, a shot further back in the seventh of nine events on The International Series, the set of LIV Golf-backed tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar.
Anirban Lahiri of LIV Golf was the pick of the Indian challengers. He carded a fourth successive under-par round, a two-under 68, for a 14-under total, 13 shots back from McKibbin. SSP Chawrasia also shot a 68 and finished four shots further back on 10 under, one ahead of Ajeetesh Sandhu (68).
McKibbin’s performance saw him break the tournament’s 72-hole low scoring total and match its biggest margin of victory, while it also earned him a place in The Open and the Masters Tournament next year.
“Yeah, it was obviously amazing,” said the 22-year-old after his second victory as a professional. “I played some of the best golf I have probably ever played. So, yeah, to have that sort of golf and to shoot those scores around here is pretty special.”
The LIV Golf star, who plays for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team, had a one-shot lead over Maguire at the start of the day and after holding off the chasing pack on the front nine – going out in three under 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 last was only his third of the week.
“It means a lot. I mean, with a tournament with so much history behind it, and you know, great players that have won this tournament, to have the scoring record is pretty special, and something that will definitely live with me forever,” he added.
The previous lowest 72 total was 22-under – held by Jose María Olazábal (2002), Ian Poulter (2010), and Patrick Reed (2024) – while both Bernhard Langer and Bill Brask won by seven in 1991 and 1984, respectively.
It was a timely victory by the young Northern Irishman as this year marked the first time that Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A have invited the winner to their Majors. It will mark his debut in the Masters Tournament and his third appearance in The Open.
“Very excited to go back and play my third Open, it will be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time, it will be even more special. You know, I think sort of historic tournaments like this deserve those spots, and yeah, it’s great to sort of take advantage of those,” he said.
A calamitous quadruple bogey eight on the par-four 14th put fellow LIV Golf star Uihlein out of the running, but he did well to finish runner-up.
He said, “It was a bit of a mixed bag today – had a tough quad out there. Actually, I had both a quadruple and a triple bogey this week. So, to still finish second despite that, I’ll take it.
“I love the course, love the event, and I love coming here for LIV. It is honestly one of my favourite stops of the year. I will definitely keep coming back as long as I am playing,” he added.
As for McKibbin, he said, “Unreal. He played unbelievably well. There is really nothing more to say – shooting seven-under on a Sunday is incredible. I think he missed just one green, and even then, he made par. He was so efficient and composed. Super impressive. That was awesome to watch.”
The Asian Tour and The International Series head to the Moutai Singapore Open next week.
–IANS
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