Jon McKibbin, the Northern Irish golfer who joined Jon Rahm's team at the 54th World Tour Finals, the 13th Legion, continues to lead in Hong Kong with one round to play. Since seizing the lead on Thursday with an extraordinary 60, the young player, who will turn 23 next month, hasn't relinquished it at the easy Hong Kong Golf Club. It's been a birdie festival, with McKibbin leading at 20 under par in a tournament that offers a ticket to the Masters and the British Open.
Tom McKibbin, results
The leader had two immaculate days, but on Saturday he had to accept his first two bogeys. His round was otherwise full of birdies, including seven more, which allowed him to repeat his Friday 65, although he is now under threat from Michael 'MJ' Maguire, the American who is blossoming in the fall.
Maguire, a powerful hitter, is already 32 years old. And until October 2024, he was just scraping by. He'd had a good college career in North Florida, but he didn't understand the leap to the professional ranks. Between a lack of dedication and problems with his putting, he always played in the minor leagues until he saw an opportunity on the Asian Tour.
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Last year, he arrived at the Black Mountain International Series ranked 861st in the world. And he won in a playoff against John Carlin. "What's changed in my game?" Nothing. I simply put more effort into my work, he said. Now, ranked 482nd in the world playing the Asian Tour doesn't offer much higher he has once again given himself a chance at success on Sunday.
He did so thanks to a stroke of luck, an 8-iron from 140 meters for eagle on the 11th hole, amidst a flurry of birdies he unleashed on the back nine, a stretch he played at seven under par to finish one stroke behind McKibbin. A sweet finish is anticipated for one of them, with Peter Uihlein, who faltered on the final hole by sending his tee shot into the woods, as the third option, two strokes behind the Northern Irishman.
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The three Spaniards in a tournament played on a two-century-old course, which in good condition is a bargain only three of the 68 players who made the cut shot over par are far behind. David Puig (66) is struggling with the first par 5 (hole 3). He parried it on Thursday with a double bogey and on Saturday with another bogey. Even so, five birdies in six holes, halted by another mistake, moved him to eighteenth place.
Josele Ballester (65) started with two birdies but then wasn't as sharp and is in twenty-fourth place, and Eugenio Lpez Chacarra (67) played in a similar fashion. However, the Madrid native's real focus is on the next two tournaments on the DP World Tour.
