Holywood’s latest golfing star Tom McKibbin secures first professional title – The Irish Times

Tom McKibbin displayed his X-Factor in style as the 20-year-old golfer from Belfast – in his rookie season on the DP World Tour – claimed his first title by beating his class in the finals of the Porsche European Open in Hamburg.

McKibbin – another product of Holywood Golf Club in Co Down that brought Rory McIlroy to the golfing world – threw a three-under 70 finish in the final round in a block of six at the top of the leaderboard for a total of nine under-par 283 , giving him a two-stroke lead over the trio of Marcel Siem, Julien Gurrier and Max Kieffer.

“I always felt like it was me [good enough to win] But proving it today was something very special. I learned a lot from failures and missed cuts on a shot and minor misses like that, so it was really nice to be able to put all those things that I learned into action today,” said McKibbin, his freshman year in the main championship European Circuit Championships after completing the Challenge Tour last season.

McKibbin’s round of five birdies and two bogeys gave him a landmark win that netted him a payout of nearly €320,000, more than double his previous season’s earnings.

During his teenage years, McKibbin was considered a real talent. He rose to the professional ranks as an 18-year-old after failing to secure a spot on the British and Irish Walker Cup teams. He’s proven himself at home on the pro circuit, making his mark on the Challenge Tour and now making his presence felt on the DP World Tour.

On a day when many rivals were struggling – Siem, for example, when the pressure was seen on the tee in the 16th – McKibbin, who admitted to struggling with a cold throughout the tournament, stayed cool and calmly, and so did the presence of experienced caddy Dave McNeilly at his side in the closing stages, who completed the deal brilliantly.

Nowhere was McKibbin’s aggressive yet composed play more evident than on his approach shot to the par 5, 18th. After his swing hit the first tee to the right of the closing hole and his approach was hampered by a tree, McKibbin’s iron shot from 203 yards landed beautifully seven feet from the flag and he made two putts for the birdie, which he completed – securing the win.

“It was kind of difficult and it wasn’t,” McKibbin said of how he viewed that approach shot. “I tried to hit him to the right edge of the green and when he tipped over I knew the water wasn’t involved, but it was the easier shot than hitting across the water.”

It was indeed a miracle shot that signaled McKibbin’s arrival on the big stage. The win should put him at a career-best 159th in the world rankings (down from 335) and also secure his tour membership through 2025.