Liv Golf’s Tom Mckibbin Earns Major Berths With Hong Kong Open Win

Tom McKibbin was erstwhile a Rory McIlroy protégé. Now, McKibbin tin perchance person his mentor gaffe nan greenish overgarment complete his shoulders this upcoming April. 

McKibbin, a 22-year-old Northern Irishman who plays for LIV Golf, won nan Asain Tour’s Link Hong Kong Open by 7 strokes, earning spots successful nan 2026 Masters and British Open. 

“Very excited to spell backmost and play my 3rd Open, it will beryllium very, very cool," McKibbin said. "And to person that thrust down Magnolia Lane for nan first clip ever, it will beryllium moreover much special. You know, I deliberation benignant of historical tournaments for illustration this merit those spots, and yeah, it's awesome to benignant of return advantage of those.”

The Masters now grants introduction into nan year’s first awesome to six champions of nationalist opens, including nan Hong Kong Open. 

And McKibbin earned his spot successful style, mounting a tourney grounds by 5 strokes, finishing astatine 27-under 253. He changeable 60–65–65–63 to champion chap LIV golfer Peter Uihlein by seven.

It’s his 2nd master win, on pinch nan DP World Tour’s 2023 Porsche European Open. 

Last year, he vanished successful nan apical 10 of nan DPWT’s season-long standings, earning a PGA Tour card. However, McKibbin decided to join LIV instead, saying, “I benignant felt it was a bully determination for maine and thing that I had to spell pinch my feeling, and only I tin benignant of make my ain decisions.”

McIlroy revealed successful January that he didn’t work together pinch McKibbin’s choice. 

"I deliberation what he perchance is sacrificing and giving up pinch entree to majors, imaginable Ryder Cup spot, depending on, you know, really he would play, it conscionable wouldn’t person been—you know, depending—look, I don’t deliberation thing is charismatic yet,” McIlroy said. “But if I were successful his position and I had his potential, which I deliberation I person been before, I wouldn’t make that decision. But I’m not him. I'm not successful his shoes. He’s a grown man astatine this constituent and tin make his ain decisions. All I tin do is effort to springiness him my perspective.”

But pinch his triumph Sunday, McKibbin will beryllium teeing it up pinch his mentor successful astatine slightest half of golf’s fields adjacent year.