McKibbin shoots 60 to set Fanling course record, leads HK Open

Tom McKibbin fired a bogey-free 10 under 60 to set an official course record and take the first-round lead at the LINK Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong Golf Club on Thursday. The 22-year-old Northern Irishman eagled the third and made eight birdies on the par-70 Fanling layout, finishing one stroke ahead of Jazz Janewattananond, who shot a 61.

McKibbin, who began his round on the 11th tee, carded a blistering 27 on the front nine and a 33 on the back, sealing the round with a final-hole birdie. He said after the round that he had come to the week with an aggressive mindset and that the course suited his game. “I came in with the mindset to aim at every flag and hope for the best,” he said in a post-round interview. He also described the round as “very, very good,” noting he had not shot lower than 62 in professional competition before Thursday.

The round carries significant implications for McKibbin’s season. He moved to LIV Golf’s Legion XIII earlier this year after winning the 2023 Porsche European Open on the DP World Tour. His Official World Golf Ranking sits outside the top 100, and a strong result in Hong Kong could yield valuable ranking points and improve his chances of...