22-year-old Tom McKibbin grew up playing at Holywood Golf Club, the same place where five-time Major champ Rory McIlroy learned his craft.
The pair are both in the same field this week for the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush. But McKibbin didn’t want to copy his idol in one certain aspect.
The youngster, born in Belfast, opened with a one-over par 72 on the Northern Irish coast this morning after teeing off in the first group at 06:35 BST.
This year is McKibbin’s second Open appearance, and first on home soil.
Even though his first round score won’t trouble the top of the leaderboard, there was one element of the round where McKibbin was keen not to emulate his compatriot Rory McIlroy.
Tom McKibbin is hopeful of avoiding Rory McIlroy’s first tee nightmare
Playing in his home Open in 2019, Rory McIlroy hit his first tee shot out of bounds in round one en route to a quadruple bogey eight. He would ultimately miss the cut by one despite battling back in the second round.
The up-and-coming McKibbin did not want to endure the same fate six years later.
“Rory has made that first shot a lot scarier. That’s all I could think about for the past three days.”
“I wasn’t too nervous; I just didn’t want to hit that bad a shot, and I was very happy to get underway.”
Despite still making a bogey on the tough 425-yard opening hole, McKibbin bounced back with an eagle on the par-five seventh to shoot a two-under 34 on the front nine.
But he came unstuck after an errant tee shot on the 11th led to a double bogey.
He also made a bogey on his final hole to get into the clubhouse at one-over par.
“There was a little bit of everything. There was a little bit of good and a little bit of bad.”
“One over isn’t great, but it’s not too bad. Overall, I’m not too annoyed, but I’m not too happy either. It was an up-and-down sort of day.”
Tom McKibbin’s home nation advantage
The advantage of this year’s Open Championship being in Northern Ireland is McKibbin’s prolonged familiarity with the area as well as Royal Portrush itself.
“It’s amazing getting clapped onto every tee and green. It’s my first experience of that kind,” he said of greeting the home fans.
“They are wanting you to do the best you can and it’s great to have that support.”
When Tom McKibbin ignored Rory McIlroy to join LIV Golf
Tom McKibbin controversially joined LIV Golf in January of this year, ignoring the advice of Rory McIlroy in the process.
Even though he has won just once on the DP World Tour, the Porsche European Open in 2023, he had a PGA Tour card locked up at the end of last year.
But he chose to join Jon Rahm’s Legion 13 team on the breakaway circuit instead.
It hasn’t stopped him from being able to compete in his home Open, however, and he will be hoping to prove that he can compete amongst the world’s best.