Tom McKibbin claimed victory at the Hong Kong Open on Sunday qualify for the Masters for the first time and secure his place for The Open.
Leading from round one, the 22-year-old Holywood golfer was consistent throughout as he triumphed in the prestigious Asian Tour event at Fanling.
Belfast-born McKibbin, who won once on the European Tour in 2023 and now plays on the LIV Golf tour, shot an official course-record 60 on the opening day Thursday to ignite his title charge.
In warm and overcast conditions on Sunday, and leading MJ Maguire by one shot overnight, McKibbin fired a final-round 63 to finish on 27 under par.
He shot eight birdies in his final round including five in his last nine holes.
“I dreamt of doing this since I was a young kid, and they come true if you train hard enough,” he said.
McKibbin is a club-mate of five-time major winner Rory McIlroy, the current Masters champion.
Peter Uihlein was second at 20 under and his fellow American Maguire was tied for third, another shot back.
The Hong Kong Open is one of the elevated International Series events on the Asian Tour in 2025, and is bankrolled by the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf.
It is also one of a select number of national opens around the world that were granted status as qualifiers for next year’s Masters at Augusta and The Open at Royal Birkdale.
