Tom McKibbin’s first Irish Open in his native county didn’t quite pan out the way he’d have liked, but even a disappointing final round couldn’t dampen his spirits too much and he’ll have lasting memories of his first competitive rounds alongside his childhood idol and the incredible support of the locals all week.
“Yeah, it was a pretty good week, sort of average golf-wise, but it was a great week here at Royal County Down,” he said after signing his card for the final time this week. “A good experience playing with Rory the first two days, and overall it was pretty good.”
This was just his second Irish Open appearance having made his debut at the K Club in 2023 and it’s only served to whet the appetite for the future.
“There was a lot of support out there for me, which was really cool to see,” he said. “Yeah, it was really nice, I can’t wait for the next one.”
With just a gentle breeze to contend with, Royal County Down was as ripe for the taking as it’s ever likely to be, but a rough four-hole stretch on the front nine saw him make a double bogey on four and follow with bogeys on five and seven.
Two birdies on the back nine helped repair some of the damage, but it was a slightly sour note to end on, particularly when each Race to Dubai point could prove crucial towards his hopes for a PGA Tour card for 2025.
“I didn’t play very good,” was his honest assessment of the final round. “And it wasn’t playing too hard with the wind. So yeah, a little bit disappointed.”
There is no time to dwell on it, however, as the big events come thick and fast at the business end of the DP World Tour season and it’s on to Wentworth for the BMW PGA Championship which will see all of the DP World Tour big hitters in action.
“Yeah, another big one at Wentworth,” he said. “Should be another good week. Really good golf course and pretty incredible tournament.
“So yeah, looking forward to that.”
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