Strong week at Irish Open could propel McKibbin to next level

Tom McKibbin at the 2024 Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

The stakes have risen for Tom McKibbin as he steps up his bid for a PGA Tour card on home ground at Royal County Down this week.

The Amgen Irish Open would represent a career high for the 21-year-old who came up through the same Holywood Golf Club that produced Rory McIlroy and a victory here on the hallowed links this Sunday would be the perfect launchpad for the big-money events that represent the run-in to the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai campaign.

The draw has thrown McKibbin and McIlroy together with defending champion Vincent Norrman for the first two rounds in one of the marquee groups, a position which reflects the young pretender’s elevation after a brilliant start to his professional career.

He won the Porsche European Open in Germany 15 months ago in his 26th start since moving up from the Challenge Tour and has compiled another strong season in 2024 without reaching the same heights.

His tie for 10th a fortnight ago at the Danish Golf Championship was his eighth top-10 finish in Europe this year, including second place at the Italian Open in June, and his form this season earned the Irishman his major championship debuts at both the US Open and Open Championships during the summer.

Results have propelled him to 17th in the Race To Dubai standings and the cusp of PGA Tour eligibility for 2025, where he currently sits in two spots outside the qualifying top 10. A strong week in familiar surroundings at Royal County Down and McKibbin’s hand would be strengthened considerably as the Tour turns into the business end of the season.

“Yeah, every event is a big event and a lot of points at stake,” he said on Tuesday. 

“A lot of big, big trophies, and yeah, I think every event is important coming in now. It's important that we continue on to play well.” 

McKibbin admitted on Tuesday he did pay some attention to his PGA Tour eligibility ranking but also recognised the importance of a strong finish to the season with this week’s Amgen Irish Open’s prize fund of $6 million (€6.6m), the fourth biggest purse on the DP World Tour behind just the Dubai Desert Classic, the Scottish Open and next week’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, all of which offer a $9m (€9.9m) bounty.

“Now to the end of the year, the points have gotten so much bigger that I think there will be a lot of back and forward between everyone. So obviously want to push on to the end of the year and try and get one of those spots.

“I think if I can just play well and keep playing well till the end of the year and just see where that leaves me at the end. As I said, there's a lot of points up for grabs, and I think if you can take advantage of those, they are pretty serious.” 

So is the test in front of the field starting on Thursday and familiarity with these links holds all that possess it, including McKibbin, in good stead.

“Really excited for the week, especially here at Royal County Down, a golf course that's very prestigious and very special. Yeah, I think it's going to be a pretty cool week.

“I think it's a golf course that you learn to respect a bit more and appreciate the more you play. I think the first couple of times I had ever played it, I found it too difficult. I didn't really enjoy it that much. But as I got better and played it more, I've come to appreciate it a lot more. It's a very hard test of golf; a lot of blind tee shots with majority of crosswinds.

“So I think it will be a very difficult test out there.

“I think it's really just you've got to get the lines off the tee right, especially off the blind tee shots, and then don't really try and shoot a score.

“I think you've just got to be real patient and keep the ball in front of you. I think par is going to be pretty good this week and I think trying not to force it too much is probably the key out there. Yeah, it's a tricky one. Obviously weather dependent.” 

The rain that squalled around the Newcastle area on Tuesday afternoon brought back memories of the 2015 staging here with further showers forecast for the first three rounds. All of which would make victory all the sweeter for an Irish golfer on home soil.

“It would mean a lot,” McKibbin said. “I think it would mean a lot no matter where it was, but here at County Down would be even more special just because of the prestigiousness of the course and how special it is. It would probably be the biggest achievement of my career, and it would probably stay there for ever.

“Yeah, it would be pretty special. It would be pretty cool.” 

Not that McKibbin is getting ahead of himself. He understands the size of the challenge ahead.

“The golf course is so hard, I would be probably more nervous playing the golf course thinking about all these outcomes. So I think it's just trying to keep the ball in front of you and see where that is at the end of the week.”