Rory McIlroy's protégé Tom McKibbin fires course-record 60 at Hong Kong Open

Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin — the 22-year-old who shocked the golf world by turning down Rory McIlroy’s advice and rejecting a PGA Tour card to join LIV Golf — has made a flying start to his off-season campaign on the Asian Tour.

The Newtownabbey native torched Hong Kong Golf Club with a course-record 10-under 60 to storm into the early lead at the $2m Link Hong Kong Open, underlining why so many rate him as one of golf’s brightest young prospects.

From McIlroy's protégé to LIV Golf power player

McKibbin earned his PGA Tour card for the first time via the DP World Tour Rankings at the end of 2024. 

He was seen walking off the 18th green on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai last November before giving his hero and mentor McIlroy a celebratory hug. 

McIlroy was beaming with pride as the boy who he helped mentor had achieved his golf dream.

Watch their warm embrace here:

But only several weeks later, McKibbin decided against joining McIlroy on the PGA Tour — despite McIlroy’s best urgings — and instead signed for Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII on the LIV Golf League.

While McKibbin didn’t win an individual title during his debut LIV Golf season, he was a crucial part of Rahm’s powerhouse team, helping Legion XIII claim four regular-season titles and the season-ending Team Championship.

He earned $4,373,801 in prize money — good enough for 22nd overall — while the Team Championship added a staggering $14 million to the Legion XIII franchise pot. 

McKibbin’s only individual win as a professional remains the Porsche European Open in June 2023, but performances such as day one in Hong Kong show that another title could soon be on the horizon.

McKibbin fires course record in Hong Kong

With the LIV Golf season fully wrapped, McKibbin has shifted his focus to the Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour.

Why exactly? Well he's not only looking to add another string to his bow as a global golfer, but he's also aiming to secure invitations to The Masters and The Open in 2026.

He’s wasting no time in doing so.

McKibbin fired a flawless 10-under 60 to set a new course record at Hong Kong Golf Club, carding an eagle and eight birdies in a bogey-free round. 

He fell just short of the magic 59 fellow LIV star Patrick Reed carded under preferred lies en route to victory last season, but still bettered Aaron Rai’s official course record of 61 by a shot.

McKibbin teed off on the 11th hole on Thursday and caught fire early — rolling in birdies at the 12th and 13th before making three more in a row from the 15th to reach 5-under par 

He then birdied the 2nd, eagled the 3rd, and added further birdies at the 8th and 10th to post a career-low 60.

"It was obviously a very, very good round," said a delighted McKibbin. 

"I didn’t really miss too many shots, holed a few nice putts and took advantage of the two par fives that there are out there. And yes, 60 shots later, I’m sitting here!"

McKibbin leads Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond by one shot after his own bogey-free 61, and sits two clear of Kiradech Aphibarnrat, former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters. 

Asked whether he knew how close he was to matching Reed’s 59, McKibbin laughed off any suggestion of nerves down the stretch.

"No, I looked at the scorecard after 17 holes and saw it was a par 70. 

"So I knew I had to eagle the last, so maybe that helped.

"But yes, 60 is the lowest round that I have ever shot – 62 has been my best before, so it was nice to break that, fantastic."

Eyes on Augusta and Birkdale

A victory this week would not only bank McKibbin a first prize of $360,000 but more importantly guarantee him a Masters debut in April 2026.

It will also gift him a third appearance in The Open three months later at Royal Birkdale.

McKibbin clearly enjoys the tight, classic layout at Fanling.

"I think it just suits my eye," said McKibbin of Hong Kong GC.

"I think most of the tee shots you have to hit driver, which suits my eye, and obviously, there are a lot of holes where you don't hit a driver as well.

"So I think that sort of tight visual, and a lot of irons into the greens and things like that, I think sort of suits my game quite nicely."

Elsewhere, defending champion Reed started confidently with a 5-under 65 to lie in a tie for 22nd. 

McKibbin's compatriot and LIV Golf peer Graeme McDowell finished the day in the red after a 69 but looks on from 87th. 

With further low scoring expected on Friday, 2010 US Open champion McDowell will need to put his foot on the gas if he's to make the weekend.

McDowell is very much desperate to qualify for The Masters and The Open having not played a major now since 2020. 

Two LIV Golf cards up for grabs via International Series

The Link Hong Kong Open is the seventh of nine International Series events forming the official pathway to the LIV Golf League.

It's today emerged that LIV Golf will award league spots to the top two highest ranked, non-exempt players - instead of just one - from this season’s International Series Rankings. 

Scott Vincent and Miguel Tabuena currently occupy the top two spots, though two more events — in Singapore and Saudi Arabia — remain before the cutoff.

The 2026 LIV Golf season will open under the lights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 5–7 February, with several big names renewing their deals. 

Dustin Johnson re-signed with 4Aces GC last week, while Bryson DeChambeau is reportedly close to agreeing a new multi-year deal.

Around six roster spots are still open for 2026, and a number of captains are said to be in discussions with PGA Tour and DP World Tour players considering the jump.

McKibbin’s bold new chapter

For McKibbin though, the focus remains all on the next three rounds in Hong Kong. 

Once the young prodigy McIlroy helped guide, he’s now blazing his own trail — and doing it in style.

After rejecting Rory’s call to join him on the PGA Tour, McKibbin has found his own path to success — and his course-record 60 could prove a major step toward golf’s biggest stages once again.

If he keeps this up, Augusta and Birkdale might soon be calling.