McKibbin keen for more major golf after PGA debut
Tom McKibbin of Legion XIII waits on the sixth hole during the first round of LIV Golf Riyadh at Riyadh Golf Club on Thursday, February 06, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)
Tom McKibbin endured a “stressful” PGA Championship debut but insisted he’s determined to qualify for his second US Open next week.
The LIV Golf star (22) closed with a rollercoaster two-over 73 to provisionally finish tied for 52nd on four-over.
It was an adventurous final round as he bogeyed the second, third, fourth and fifth but made a big par save at the sixth and took advantage of his chances to birdie four of the next six holes and get back to level for the day.
While he bogeyed the tough 16th and 17th coming home, the young Holywood star now has a taste for major golf and after making his third cut from as many starts, he’s anxious to make it to Oakmont in Pittsburgh for his second US Open next month.
“I was meant to play tomorrow in qualifying at Walton Heath, but obviously I'm here instead, which was nice,” said McKibbin, who tees it up in the 36-hole Final Qualifier at Duke University Golf Club in North Carolina next Monday.
“I got through last year, but it takes a lot of good golf to get through those qualifiers. So hopefully I can get a good week of practice in and sharpen up for that, and hopefully get another shot at a US Open.”
As for his week in Charlotte, McKibbin was pleased to make nothing worse than a bogey all week and to recover from a nightmare start yesterday.
“It sort of felt like I was going for a horror show at one point,” he joked. “I played good in parts and struggled as well but I didn't make a double bogey, which was nice. I kept big numbers off the card.
“Obviously, I made a lot of bogeys and not too many birdies but it's just a tougher test of golf.
“You have to be a lot more precise, and especially into these firmer greens. So you just have to be extremely on it. I think that's really what I need to do a little bit better.”
