Tom McKibbin’s key early Masters observation is that you need to embrace the creativity needed on and around the greens. Perhaps being just 23 years of age will help him in that regard as he gears up for his debut on Thursday.
Part of a Legion XIII three-ball with teammates Tyrrell Hatton and former Masters champion Jon Rahm, McKibbin made sure he was a good learner as he picked up some tips and tricks to handle Augusta National, particularly on the greens.
Chipping sideways and putting backwards to slopes which funnel the ball towards the hole isn’t something McKibbin would be used to, but it’s all part of the Masters experience and he feels his creative spark and vision for the course will develop over time.
“I think you definitely develop it the more you play,” said McKibbin who gained entry into the first major of the season via his victory at the Hong Kong Open last November. “When I came here 10 days ago with Tyrrell he was showing me some of the putts, and I’m like, I do not see that at all. The more I’ve hit them and the more I’ve played it you can definitely remember it and see it.
“So I think it’s definitely one of those things. The more you play it, the more knowledge you build up, and definitely a little bit less guesswork. I think a lot of it’s around the greens and stuff and obviously getting used to seeing how much some of the putts break and how fast some of them are.”
McKibbin is a cool, calm and collected character which is a trait he has been lauded for. But even he admits he had some of the first tee jitters when he came on a scouting mission with Hatton last week.
“I think last week, when I, when I came up, it was probably the first time in a long, long time that I’d been nervous playing a golf course without anybody here, nothing on the line. This was so cool, and I didn’t want to play around like an absolute idiot the first time. So yeah, definitely a little bit daunting the first first time. And then even coming back today, when there’s a lot of people around and the fairways look a little bit narrower off the tees and how close they are in the par threes and stuff.
“This is the one that I’ve watched since I was nine years old. It’s the first I would say, pinch me moment. I’ve watched it so much and I’ve always wanted to play here and play the Masters, to have that dream come true is really cool.”
The Irish fairytale is Rory McIlroy dressing Shane Lowry in a green jacket but what a story it would be if the green jacket stayed in Holywood for a second successive year. It would be jumping the gun to suggest McKibbin is a contender here – no rookie has won the Masters since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 and they say you need 40 rounds under your belt before you become fully settled.
But it would also be crude to suggest McKibbin’s ambitions are strictly limited to making the cut as Augusta is a course that looks tailored to his long game. The LIV star has shown up well in the majors, making the cut on debut in the other three flagship events and to have made four cuts from four debut appearances at the age of 23 would be a satisfying achievement.
“To be able to say, I made the cut and all in all four of them would be nice,” said McKibbin whose only missed cut in a major so far was last year’s Open at Royal Portrush. “I think the thing that’s tricky here is, I think, from what I’ve heard, is how different the course changes from today until Thursday. I don’t know what to expect, it’s such a difficult golf course, especially around the greens. I’d love to play four rounds and put four solid scores together. I think that would be a nice first Masters appearance.”
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