'It's pretty special' - Red-hot Tom McKibbin wins Hong Kong Open to seal coveted Masters spot and return to The Open in 2026

The 22-year-old Holywood golfer produced a scintillating final-round 63 at Fanling on Sunday, finishing at a remarkable 27-under-par total of 253 and rewriting the tournament record books in the process.

McKibbin entered the final day with a slender one-shot advantage over America’s MJ Maguire. He quickly asserted himself with birdies at the 1st, 3rd, and 8th holes, before accelerating on the back nine with further birdies at the 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, and 16th.

A solitary bogey at the last - just his third of the week - did little to tarnish a near-flawless performance.

His aggregate score shattered the previous 72-hole tournament record of 22-under, previously shared by José María Olazábal (2002), Ian Poulter (2010), and Patrick Reed (2024).

McKibbin’s winning margin of seven shots also equalled the tournament’s largest, set by Bernhard Langer in 1991 and Bill Brask in 1984.

“Yeah, it was obviously amazing,” said LIV Golf prospect McKibbin, who was celebrating 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.”

Peter Uihlein emerged as McKibbin’s nearest challenger, finishing second after a closing 68, despite a costly quadruple bogey eight on the par-4 14th.

Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura (65), Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen (67), and America’s MJ Maguire (70) shared third place, a further shot back, in the penultimate event of this year’s LIV Golf-backed International Series.

McKibbin – who shot a course record 60 in a sensational start on Thursday – will now have the opportunity to make his debut at the Masters at the famous Augusta National course next year ahead of playing in his third Open.

“Very excited to go back and play my third Open, it will be very, very cool," McKibbin said. "And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time ever, 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.”

For now, McKibbin is soaking up his Asian Tour win as he joins fellow Northern Ireland man Rory McIroy and Padraig Harrington as past winners of the Hong Kong Open.

“It means a lot," he said. "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.”

Runner-up Uihlein also had high praise for McKibbin, hailing the Co Antrim man’s performance as “unreal”.

“He played unbelievably well,” he said. “There is really nothing more to say - shooting 7-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.”

This year marks the first time Augusta National and The R&A have extended such invitations to the Hong Kong Open winner.