Tom McKibbin knows what’s going to happen Sunday when he heads into the final round of the Link Hong Kong Open with a one-shot lead.
When McKibbin chose to forgo his PGA Tour card and join LIV Golf earlier this year, he knew the decision would make it more difficult to earn starts in major championships. Since LIV Golf has not yet earned official World Golf Ranking points, McKibbin will have to rely on the start of the DP World Tour and the exemptions the governing body will provide LIV Golf.
McKibbin played in two of the four majors this season, but his chances of winning a major in 2026 are up in the air. But that could change on Sunday if McKibbin can hold off a group of challengers, including Americans MJ McGuire and Peter Uihlein. Thanks to a recent decision by Augusta National Golf Club and the R&A, the winner of the Hong Kong Open will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters and Open Championship. That’s why McKibbin and many of his LIV golf compatriots will be teeing off this week.
“I think everyone came here knowing there was space,” McKibbin said Saturday. “It’s not a big deal whether you come in second or third, and it doesn’t make much of a difference. I want to continue to have the will to do my best.”
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McKibbin opened the tournament with a course record 10-under 60, which he backed up with two consecutive 65s. For much of this week it looked like it would be a gentle march to the big prize for the Northern Irishman, which would end with trips to Augusta and Royal Birkdale, as well as joining a star-studded group of Hong Kong Open winners including coveted Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Tom Watson.
But Maguire’s 61 points on Saturday changed the outlook for Sunday’s final round. Maguire currently sits just one stroke behind McKibbin and has his sights set on ruining the LIV prodigy’s 2026 plans.
“There’s definitely a lot to play for,” Maguire said. “So I try to stay focused and play it one shot at a time.”
Maguire, 33, is the 482nd-ranked golfer in the world. His last Korn Ferry Tour start was in 2023. His only PGA Tour start came in 2015 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Maguire will start Sunday one shot behind McKibbin, but he won’t be the only candidate to reach the young star. Uihlein is the back 2, and Australia’s Scott Hend and Thailand’s Kiradek Afibanrat are the 3 back. Charles Howell III and Louis Oosthuizen form the back four.
McKibbin’s bid for a wire-to-wire victory hit a snag early on Saturday when a drop shot on the third hole ended his bogey-free streak. But the 22-year-old bounced back with birdies on Nos. 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12. He made bogey on the 15th, but birdied the 16th and 17th to close in on Maguire heading into Sunday’s final round showdown.
“Overall it was pretty good,” McKibbin said. “I felt the course played a little tougher. The pins looked harder, but I played some really great golf. I holed some good putts and everything felt solid.”
There are 18 holes and a bunch of chasers between McKibbin, two major tickets and a chance to join McIlroy on the long list of Hong Kong Open winners.
“Winning any tournament means a lot, and given the history behind this event and the people who have won it before, it’s going to be very special,” McKibbin said.
