Playing with McIlroy has been the 'highlight' of McKibbin's year

McKibbin has done enough to make the halfway cut at the Irish Open on one over par thanks to a second-round, two-under 69 on Friday.

Rory McIlory and Tom McKibbin during the second round at the 2024 Irish Open. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

The golf Tom McKibbin has played on the DP World Tour this season suggests the 21-year-old can be the next great golfing export from these shores but this week he has been as starstruck around Rory McIlroy as the hundreds of spectators who have follow the pair at Royal County Down.

McKibbin, from the same club as McIlroy at Holywood in the eastern Belfast suburbs, has graduated from outside the ropes to inside these past two years on tour but even though he occupies a very respectable 17th place in the Race To Dubai standings on the official Back Nine of the order of merit contest, the 2023 Porsche European Open winner has relished his two days as McIlroy’s playing partner even more.