Rory McIlroy believes his Holywood club mate Tom McKibbin has the game for the PGA Tour and that the future is bright for the 21-year-old.
After just two seasons on the DP World Tour, McKibbin plucked the tenth and final PGA Tour card by ten and a half points as a birdie at the 72nd hole at the DP World Tour Championship saw him leapfrog Jordan Smith and he is set to join McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Séamus Power in the US next season.
“He’s done amazingly well, and I think his game is going to be suited for America,” said McIlroy who notched his sixth Race to Dubai title, taking him level with Seve Ballesteros and just two shy of Colin Montgomerie’s record tally of eight.
“He hits the ball high. Hits it long. He won in Germany last year, The European Open. He’s had chances this year; the playoff against Marcel in Italy, and he’s been very, very consistent. For a guy that’s only 21 to show that level of consistency, that bodes well for the future.
“Obviously very, very happy for him and excited he achieved one of his big goals this year and getting one of those cards.”
McIlroy won a lot of plaudits for his emotional interaction with McKibbin as he walked off the 18th green on Sunday. Even before he had signed his card he took the time to share a moment with him to see had he secured his PGA Tour card.
McKibbin has long been tipped to emulate McIlroy, who is fourteen years his senior, and McIlroy was delighted for the youngster.
“I was looking at the leaderboard and I saw Tom got in the top 10 and I thought okay, good, and when I was walking off the last, I didn’t see his name and I see him before I signed my card and he was congratulating me, and I didn’t want to ask — I said, “Yay or nay?”
“And he said, “Yes.”
“I’m happy for him. That was a massive goal for him was to get one of those ten cards and go play in America. Super happy for him.”
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