Tom McKibbin’s first-ever start on the Asian Tour will be remembered for a long time after he won the US$2million Link Hong Kong Open today – at the prestigious Hong Kong Golf Club.

A final-round seven-under-par 63 saw the Northern Irishman complete a stunning start-to-finish victory in the celebrated tournament, with a four-round aggregate of 27-under 253.

American Peter Uihlein was his nearest challenger. Uihlein closed with a 68 to finish seven behind, while Tomoyo Ikemura (65) from Japan, South African Louis Oosthuizen (67) and America’s MJ Maguire (70) tied for third, a shot further back in the seventh of nine events on The International Series, the set of LIV Golf-backed tournaments on the Asian Tour calendar.

McKibbin’s performance saw him break the tournament’s 72-hole low scoring total and match its biggest margin of victory, while it also earned him a place in The Open and Masters Tournament next year.

Tom McKibbin.

“Yeah, it was obviously amazing,” said the 22-year-old after his second victory as a professional.

“I played some of the best golf I have probably ever played. So, yeah, to have that sort of golf and to shoot those scores around here is pretty special.”

The LIV Golf star, who plays for Jon Ram’s Legion XIII team, had a one-shot lead over Maguire at the start of the day and after holding off the chasing pack on the front nine – going out in three under with birdies on one, three and eight – he pulled away on the second half with birdies on 10, 11, 13, 14, and 16.

A bogey on the last was only his third of the week.

He added: “It means a lot. I mean, with a tournament with so much history behind it, and you know, great players that have won this tournament, to have the scoring record is pretty special, and something that will definitely live with me forever.”

The previous lowest 72 total was 22-under – held by José María Olazábal (2002), Ian Poulter (2010), and Patrick Reed (2024) – while both Bernhard Langer and Bill Brask won by seven in 1991 and 1984 respectively.

Peter Uihlein.

It was a timely victory by the young Northern Irishman as this year marked the first time that Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A have invited the winner to their Majors.

It will mark his debut in the Masters Tournament and third appearance in The Open.

“Very excited to go back and play my third Open, it will be very, very cool. And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time ever, it will be even more special. You know, I think sort of historic tournaments like this deserve those spots, and yeah, it’s great to sort of take advantage of those.”

A calamitous quadruple bogey eight on the par-four 14th put fellow LIV Golf star Uihlein out of the running, but he did well to finish runner-up.

He said: “It was a bit of a mixed bag today – had a tough quad out there. Actually, I had both a quadruple and a triple bogey this week. So, to still finish second despite that, I’ll take it.

“I love the course, love the event, and I love coming here, for LIV. It is honestly one of my favourite stops of the year. I will definitely keep coming back as long as I am playing.”

As for McKibbin, he said: “Unreal. He played unbelievably well. There is really nothing more to say – shooting seven-under on a Sunday is incredible. I think he missed just one green, and even then he made par. He was so efficient and composed. Super impressive. That was awesome to watch.”

MJ Maguire.

The Asian Tour and The International Series head to the Moutai Singapore Open next week.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Overnight leader Tom McKibbin [main picture] kept his hopes of a wire-to-wire victory alive at the Link Hong Kong Open but the Northern Irishman is being pushed all the way with the American duo of MJ Maguire and Peter Uihlein breathing down his neck at the top of a busy leaderboard going into the final round at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

McKibbin had started the day with a two-shot lead over Uihlein after following up his course-record 60 with a five-under 65, his second consecutive bogey-free round.

A second round of 65 on the spin kept the Legion XIII man in front on 20-under, after Maguire had roared into life with a nine-under 61 to move to 19-under. Two late bogeys from playing partner Uihlein (65) left the Range Goats GC man a shot further behind on 18-under.

MJ Maguire of the USA

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66), starting in the final group with McKibbin and Uihlein, is three behind in T4 alongside Scott Hend after the veteran Australian – a champion here in 2014 – rolled back the years with a six-under 64.

LIV players Charles Howell III of America and Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa are T6 on 16- under, following four-under rounds of 66, with U.S. star Charles Porter on 15-under alongside Korean-American Micah Shin (66) and Poom Saksansin of Thailand (65) after putting together an impressive seven-under round of 63.

McKibbin’s bogey-free run ended abruptly with a dropped shot on three, although he was back in credit after bouncing back with two straight birdies on four and five.

Three more birdies followed on six, nine and 12, before a second bogey on 15, but another two birdies on 16 and 17 got him back in front of Maguire after the American had roared into the race with seven birdies and an eagle in an impressive display.

That shot could prove crucial going into the final day with places on next year’s Open Championship and Masters at stake, as well as points on The International Series Rankings race. McKibbin felt he did well in more difficult conditions on day three. He said: “It was pretty good overall. I felt the course was playing a little tougher – the pins seemed harder but I played some very nice golf. I holed a few good putts, and everything felt solid.

“I think everyone came here knowing those spots are available, but for me, finishing second or third doesn’t make a big difference. I went into the week with the mindset of giving it a good go, and that’s what I’ll try to do.”

Maguire was ticking along with two birdies in his front nine but he sprang into contention with a run of three birdies and an eagle from 10 to 13, including a hole out on his second at 11, and then back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18.

Maguire, a winner on The International Series last year at the Black Mountain Championship in Hua Hin, Thailand, said: “Yeah it all kind of kicked off on 11, I holed out the second shot.

“Had some tree trouble, was thinking about going over the trees. Hit a little punchy eight iron and it rolled in like a putt. You know, I was just happy to get that on the green and to see it drop. That was the kickstarter and I was able to make a few more birdies in a row.”

Peter Uihlein of the USA

Uihlein, who shot a triple bogey on 10 in round two when sitting nine under with two left to play, had another eventful day. Having picked up five birdies by 14, he went bogey-birdie-birdie-bogey and ultimately settled for a 65 to stay two off the lead – where he had started.

Range Goats GC star Uihlein said: “The start was all right, right? And then the last four, well, I guess 15 and 18 were bad, but it felt fine compared to yesterday, it felt like way less of a roller coaster than yesterday.”

Referring to The Open and Masters places that will go to the champion, the two-time International Series winner added: “It’s obviously amazing that the governing bodies have recognized this event for the quality that it is. It has obviously given us an opportunity to try and win, and a couple shots back, you still got to make a bunch of birdies, so we will see.”

The 10-time Asian Tour champion Hend is handily placed, three back from McKibbin after a bogey-free six-under 64. He said: “I just tried to play solid golf. I missed a fair few putts out there, but when I missed the green, I managed to get it up and down.

“Overall, it was about staying steady and keeping things simple. I’ll need a low one because Tom is playing some good golf. We’ll see what happens. I’d love to be a Hong Kong Open champion again. That’s the main goal. For me, this is a special tournament on the schedule, and I always look forward to playing here. Everything else is just a bonus.”

Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand

Thailand’s Kiradech, making his first Asian Tour start of the season, struggled with two early bogeys but he hit back with four birdies and an eagle to stay in the hunt, level with Hend.

He said: “Rough start, two over through five and I missed couple of shots. But I’m just enjoying this week. Today I was playing with my good friend Peter Uihlein, one of the best – we had a lot of chat and I played a lot better on the back nine. The team has done an amazing job here – the conditions are the best I have ever seen. There are a lot of opportunities to make birdies but if you don’t pay attention you can get hurt.”

The Link Hong Kong Open is the seventh of nine elevated tournaments on the Asian Tour that offer a pathway to the LIV Golf League through the season-long Rankings race.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin [main picture] added a five-under-par 65 to his opening round 60 for a two-shot lead in the Link Hong Kong Open today.

The LIV Golf star leads on 15-under here at Hong Kong Golf Club from second-placed American Peter Uihlein plus Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Jazz Janewattananond.

Uihlein shot a 63, which included a triple bogey on his penultimate hole, Kiradech carded a 65 and Jazz a 66.

American Charles Howell III, in with a 62, and Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa and Thomas Pieters from Belgium, who both shot 66s, are a shot further back.

McKibbin, who plays for Legion XIII on LIV Golf, captained by Spaniard Jon Rahm, was bogey free again today and looks like he will be hard to beat this weekend.

“Very, very solid day,” said the 22-year-old, whose 60 yesterday set a new course record.

Peter Uihlein.

“Game played very, very similar to yesterday. Just didn’t hole us as many putts. But yeah, very happy to keep the bogeys off the card.”

He has won once before on the European Tour, two years ago, and is chasing his first title on the Asian Tour and The International Series.

He added: “Hopefully, very similar stuff [over the weekend] would be nice. Think I’ve sort of took the approach going into this week just to sort of play very aggressive and sort of just whatever the outcome is, come the end of the week, it is what it is. And I think maybe I’ll just keep doing that. And, you know, I’ve had a quite nice year. So why not just go for it?”

He made two birdies on the front and three, in a row, on the second half.

Uihlein, chasing his third title on The International Series following two wins last year, made nine birdies today before disaster on the par-four ninth, his 17^th as he started on 11.

“I blocked it,” he said about the ninth, which he followed with a birdie. “Then chipped it through the fairway. Fatted it. Fatted it. Next one I wasn’t gonna fat it right?”

Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

He’d cruised through his first nine in six-under, with four consecutive birdies from 12, and was running away with it before his unexpected finish.

Despite threatening to break McKibbin’s course record he added: “I hit it awful. Absolutely. Hit it terrible. Oh, it was awful. I didn’t hit a fairway until 18, and then I was in the middle of a divot, and then my next fairway I hit was on four and just had a clod of mud. I drove it awful. So, no, there was no thoughts of anything like that [course record], it was survival.”

He won The International Series events first in England and then in Qatar last year, for his first successes on the Asian Tour. He claimed the first by seven and the next by five and will doubt be amongst it again this weekend.

“Yesterday, hit it great,” he added. “I think today was just – I mean it’s not even 12 o clock, right? So, it’s still early in the morning, right? It’s just one of those things. I just didn’t hit it very good today, but hit it great yesterday. You know, I’m sure I’ll be a couple back or so going on the weekend, so we’ll see.”

Kiradech, the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion in 2013, made an eagle, six birdies and three bogeys.

“It was a solid day overall,” said Kiradech, who is looking for his first win on the Asian Tour in seven years.

Jazz Janewattananond.

“Even though it didn’t start well, similar to the first round. I opened with a bogey after a bad drive but bounced back quickly with birdies on the second and third holes, which got me back into the game.

“My driving wasn’t as sharp as yesterday, but I managed my game well, focused on hitting as many greens as possible, and my putting felt great. I had good speed and good reads all day. Finishing five-under puts me just a couple of shots behind, so I’ll keep doing what’s worked in the first two rounds.”

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

American Peter Uihlein added a second-round seven-under-par 63 to his opening 64 to take a one-shot lead mid-way through Friday at the Link Hong Kong Open today – but it could have been so much better.

He has the clubhouse lead on 13-under here at the Hong Kong Golf Club, despite a triple-bogey seven on the ninth – his penultimate hole as he started on 11.

Tucked in behind him in second are the formidable duo of Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa and Thomas Pieters, who both shot 66s.

Australian Scott Hend and Micah Shin from the United States are two back in a tie for third, following 65s.

Half the field are still on the course, including Northern Ireland’s Tom  McKibbin, who carded a course record 60 yesterday.

Peter Uihlein.

Uihlein, chasing his third title on The International Series following two wins last year, made nine birdies today before disaster struck on the par-four ninth. A birdie on 10 helped with the damage.

“I blocked it,” he said of the seven. “Then chipped it through the fairway. Fatted it. Fatted it. Next one I wasn’t gonna fat it right?”

He’d cruised through his first nine in six-under, with four consecutive birdies from 12, and was running away with it before his unexpected finish.

Despite threatening to break McKibbin’s course record, he added: “I hit it awful. Absolutely. Hit it terrible. Oh, it was awful. I didn’t hit a fairway until 18, and then I was in the middle of a divot, and then my next fairway I hit was on four and just had a clod of mud. I drove it awful. So, no, there was no thoughts of anything like that [course record], it was survival.”

He won The International Series events in England and then in Qatar las year, for his first successes on the Asian Tour. He secured the first by seven and the next by five and will doubt be in the thick of the action again this weekend.

“Yesterday, hit it great,” he added. “I think today was just – I mean it’s not even 12 o clock, right? So, it’s still early in the morning, right? It’s just one of those things. I just didn’t hit it very good today, but hit it great yesterday. You know, I’m sure I’ll be  a couple back or so going on the weekend, so we’ll see.”

Pictures courtesy Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

LIV Golf star Tom McKibbin carded a brilliant, bogey-free 10-under round of 60 on a day of low scoring to take the first-round lead and set a new course record at Hong Kong Golf Club on day one of the Link Hong Kong Open. Promising local amateur Jeffrey Shen showed his undoubted talent with a seven-under round of 63 to stay three off the pace.

McKibbin, a member of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team, teed off on hole 11 and picked up early birdies on 12 and 13, before carding three on the spin from 15 to 17. The 22-year-old then went birdie-eagle on two and three, before picking up two more shots on eight and 10 for a one-shot clubhouse lead. The 60 is an official course record as Patrick Reed’s 59 last year had ‘lift, clean and place’ in play.

Thai star Jazz Janewattananond, also starting off 11, produced a flawless round of 61 to sit one off the lead. The 2023 International Series Morocco champion, a seven-time Asian Tour winner, started slower with three birdies on his front nine, before reeling off six on his back nine. Compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat is a shot further behind on eight under alongside former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and Thomas Pieters of Belgium.

McKibbin was delighted with his morning’s work. The 2023 Porsche European Open winner, who finished T6 at LIV Golf Hong Kong earlier this season, said: “It was obviously a very, very good round. I didn’t really miss too many shots, holed a few nice putts and took advantage of the two par fives that there are out there. And yes, 60 shots later, I’m sitting here!”

On flirting with Reed’s 59, which the American posted in the third round en-route to a four-shot victory last year, McKibbin said: “No, I looked at the scorecard after 17 holes and saw it was a par 70, so I knew I had to eagle the last so maybe that helped.. But yes, 60 is the lowest round that I have ever shot – 62 has been my best before. So it was nice to break that, fantastic.”

HONG KONG, CHINA: Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand pictured on Thursday, October 30, 2025, during Round One of the 2025 Link Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong Golf Club. The US$2,000,000 event is staged from October 30-November 2, 2025. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour

Kiradech, on his first Asian Tour start of the season, carded nine birdies and the one bogey. He said: “My iron play was strong, and I stayed positive throughout. The key for me today was simply enjoying being back on the Asian Tour. I got to play with Sarit (Suwannarut), one of the new generation of Thai players. We had some great conversations, and it’s inspiring to see young Thai talent fighting proudly for our flag across Asia. I am really happy to see the Asian Tour heading in the right direction.

“It is growing, and we are seeing more great players emerge from here – I am proud to be one of them. I genuinely enjoy being part of these events. When I am having fun and in a good mood, everything else tends to fall into place.”

The Stinger GC LIV Golf player Oosthuizen was the pick of the afternoon rounds, with six back-nine birdies which were helped largely by a red-hot putter. Pieters started with four straight birdies, and managed another two on the turn, before picking up further shots on 15 and 18.

Oosthuizen, the Stinger GC captain, put his good showing down to the flat stick, as he said: “Ten putts on the back nine definitely helped!

“I missed one birdie putt and had a good up-and-down on 14, but the rest were one-putts. I read the greens really well today. I did some drill work on the putting green this morning and felt something click in my setup. I tried to carry that feeling into the round, and it worked.”
While there was only heartache for local hero Taichi Kho, in the form of a seven-over 77, promising local youngster Shen was in a five-man group tied for sixth.

HONG KONG, CHINA: Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa pictured on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, during the Pro-am event ahead of the 2025 Link Hong Kong Open at Hong Kong Golf Club. The US$2,000,000 event is staged from October 30-November 2, 2025. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour

Talented youngster Shen sits on seven under alongside International Series Rankings leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, LIV Golf star Matt Jones of Australia, Japan’s Kensei Hirata and Austen Truslow of the U.S. who had an eventful round with an eagle, seven birdies and a double bogey.

Talented youngster Shen was in tremendous form, bouncing back well from the heat stroke he suffered last weekend at the Asian Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai.

Shen, who had his father on the bag for the round, said: “I mean, I like this feeling, with my family and my friends here to support me, and because this is my home course, every time I feel really good here. At Hong Kong Golf Club, it is all about the putting. So you need to plan for it because the pin position is changed every day.”

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Kazuki Higa of Japan is a shot further back on six under in an 11-strong pack while defending champion Reed, is handily placed on five under in T22, and Miguel Tabuena, last week’s International Series Philippines winner, sits T27 on four under for the day.

The Link Hong Kong Open is the seventh of nine elevated events on the Asian Tour that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the season-ending Rankings champion.

Just one week after Filipino sports fans celebrated a sensational victory for one of their own on home soil, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho is hoping to create the same kind of atmosphere – and a similar successful title challenge – at the Link Hong Kong Open, which starts tomorrow.

Miguel Tabuena’s emphatic three-shot victory at International Series Philippines was played out in front of a partisan crowd at the Sta. Elena Golf Club. A 69 and three consecutive seven-under 65s set up a result that was good enough to see off a star-studded field including former world No.1 Dustin Johnson, plus fellow major champions Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen.

A week later, and a strong field has gathered forthe Link Hong Kong Open, with major stars including Reed, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell joined by a host of LIV Golf stars and the cream of the Asian Tour.

Local hero Kho posted a T6 in the tournament last season, returning impressive rounds of 67-65-66-66 around the Hong Kong Golf Club Composite Course as Reed emerged victorious thanks largely to an incredible third round of 59.

Kho may not have been successful on that occasion. However, the Asian Games gold medal winner has tasted success at the course before. In 2023, he secured a historic triumph at the rain-shortened World City Championship, becoming the first ever Hong Kong winner on the Asian Tour.

Taichi Kho.

When asked about the inspiration of playing in front of a home crowd at Fanling, he said: “The home crowd definitely gives me a lot of motivation and inspiration to be my best self out there. I will play with a lot of pride and passion out there. And I definitely feel like it’s definitely to my advantage to have that home crowd. I feel very supported out there and I am very grateful for that.”

Tabuena’s knowledge of the Sta. Elena track was evident in the way he attacked the par fives over the weekend – with five eagles overall helping to secure an emotional victory.

Kho will hope for a similar home advantage to power boost his own game which has shown some encouraging signs this season.

On The International Series, his 2025 best results have been a T6 at International Series Macau presented by Wynn, and a T20 last time out at International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus. At the end of last season, he also finished runner-up in the LIV Golf Promotions event.
Elsewhere this year he has also managed a runner-up spot in the Mandiri Indonesia Open and two T4s – at the 41st Shinhan Donghae Open and the Kolon Korea Open.

When asked about adding course knowledge into the mix, the 24-year-old said: “I think in terms of preparation, I feel like I know the course pretty well now, so I guess the notes year on year are pretty similar. I just enjoy playing this course, so I went out for just over nine holes today, and I am looking forward to the pro am. So yes, I am really looking forward to getting a lot of welcome this week.”

As always, Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event is sure to draw large crowds, and Kho will be a focal point for many. But in this year’s edition of the tournament, there is everything to play for.

The champion will earn a place in the field on next year’s 154th Open Championship and the Masters, as well as vital International Series Rankings points with a place on the LIV Golf League at stake next year.

Taichi Kho.

Kho said: “Obviously it is a really special tournament, at my home club as well. As a kid it was always a dream to play in the Hong Kong Open. I remember watching so many players as a 10-year-old at Fanling. So to be able to actually plan it now is a dream come true. And hopefully I get inspired by just playing these events and trying to do well here. And hopefully I can inspire the next generation of golfers in Hong Kong to do the same.”

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

American Patrick Reed will attempt to become the first player in 12 years to successfully defend the Link Hong Kong Open this week and says he is close to replicating is record breaking form from a year ago.

He begins his defense on Thursday at the Hong Kong Golf Club – where he carded an astonishing 59 on day three – and is well placed after a top-20 finish in last week’s International Series Philippines.

Victory in LIV Golf Dallas in June – his first individual title on the league – finishing second in the International Series Macau, and third placed finishes in the Masters and the BMW PGA Championship also point to a player who may once again thrill the Hong Kong galleries.

“Game feels pretty good, it doesn’t really feel much different [from last year],” said the LIV Golf League star.

“I feel like the difference now compared with those events earlier this year is I was making putts. And it seems like these past couple of events, it’s been a bunch of putts I’ve just kind of lipped out and burned edges.

“And when you win golf tournaments and you finish up really high, instead of lipping out they seem to lip in. So no, the golf game feels like it’s in a pretty good spot. Just need to kind of just reset.

“I feel confident where the game is. Just need to go out and execute. And really just kind of pull those vibes from last time I was in Hong Kong.”

He won by three shots from defending champion Ben Campbell from New Zealand last year for maiden title on the Asian Tour and The International Series.

When asked what is the key to playing Hong Kong Golf Club he explained: “The biggest thing for me is not to get ahead of myself. It’s pretty easy to kind of sit there and kind of look at the leaderboard, see the guys going low. You have little pockets throughout that golf course that you can really attack and get going.

“And really, that place is for me. It’s just kind of go out there and just kind of allow it to come to me and allow it to happen. Because I kind of know what to do around that place. The biggest thing is just kind of going out there and executing, rather than trying to press and push on.”

The last player to win this week’s event back-to-back was Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez in 2013 – which took his haul of Hong Kong Open titles to four, the joint most.

Reed has been paired with England’s Paul Casey and Filipino Miguel Tabuena, last week’s winner, in the first two rounds.

How does last year’s win compare with his other 11 victories in the pro game?

“I mean, it was awesome, has to definitely be up there. I mean, just because obviously the first time ever shooting in the 50s, and then having to back it up on Sunday, and still gotta go out there and win the golf tournament.

“Really kind of going out there and attacking those first seven holes, kind of getting a huge lead, and just kind of be able to kind of enjoy it. I feel like that was first time I won where I actually got to be able to just kind of sit back and enjoy the round of golf, especially that back nine. Because normally it’s always a sprint to the finish, and I think I got up to seven up at one point. So, you know, I kind of was able to kind of coast and just kind of enjoy it.”

Pictures from today’s press conference courtesy Graham Uden.