Tom McKibbin
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McKibbin played a practice round with Open champions Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke at Royal Troon and went on to play with Clarke on the final day, with the 21-year-old seizing the opportunity to learn as much as he could from his fellow Ulstermen.
“You see how those guys prepares for a big tournament like that. They did a lot, so just watching them and trying to learn a few things,” McKibbin said.
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Hide Ad“Links golf is so different to what we would normally play. It takes quite a bit of adjusting to, so you’re trying to look around and learn small things here and there. “Darren has had a lot of links experience and is very good in the wind. I learned some things from him and watched some of the shots he hit, which were very impressive.


“Overall, just doing a lot of watching and trying to take little bits here and there, trying to use those going forward.
“That’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed from being with those guys.”
McKibbin is relishing the prospect of playing at Royal County Down in front of his home support on ‘the best course in the world’.
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Hide Ad“I’m looking forward to it a lot,” he said. “The golf course I have played a good few times over the last couple of years.
“It’s an amazing place. I don’t think the guys will understand how lucky they are to be able to play the Irish Open there. It’ll be really cool.
“We’ll be on the best course in the world and it’s going to be a really exciting week with everything that comes with it.
“I played the (Irish Open) at Galgorm, but it was during Covid, so there was no one there,” he added.
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Hide Ad“I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the home crowds and experience what that’s like.
“Last year at The K Club was very special but I’m really looking forward to getting going in September.”
McKibbin is aiming to carry the consistency he has shown over the first part of the year into the second half of the season and is happy with his overall game in 2024.
“It’s been good, just been very consistent,” he said. “Played a lot of very nice golf.
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Hide Ad“I feel like I’m doing a lot of the right things and everything has fallen into place quite nicely.
“I’ve stuck with what I’ve been doing all year, which has been nice. Hopefully I can keep that up for the second half of the season.”
McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington have claimed the Irish Open spoils and McKibbin admits it would be special to add his name to the list at Royal County Down.
“It would mean a lot. To win around a place like Royal County Down would be pretty special,” he said.
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Hide Ad“Your home tournament, one I’ve been going to as a kid, watching as a kid.
“A lot of great winners are on that trophy. It would be pretty cool to add my name to that.
“It’s a very hard golf course and one that will be pretty tricky, but I’m looking forward to getting out there again.”
The Amgen Irish Open takes place from September 12-15.