Tom McKibbin shot a course record 10-under-par 60 at the Hong Kong Open to give him the lead after the opening round.
Starting on the 10th hole, the Holywood man had six birdies in his first eight holes at Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling and when he birdied the second and eagled the third around the turn, a 59 was in sight.
It was just to be one more birdie in his final six holes but it still meant a brilliant round of 60 and a record on a course where Patrick Reed shot a 59 last year but does not count on the official records due to placed lies.
“I didn’t really miss too many shots, held a few nice putts and took advantage of the two par fives that there is out there,” McKibbin said. “And 60 shots later, I’m sitting here.
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“I looked at the scorecard after 17 holes and saw it was a par 70, so maybe it helped that I didn’t know [about a 59]. I’ve shot 62 maybe four times before but this was definitely my lowest and I think it might be very hard to beat.”
McKibbin is one shot ahead of Jazz Janewattananond, who shot 61, and two ahead of Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Thomas Pieters and Louis Oosthuizen. Graeme McDowell is in tied 87th place after a one-under-par 69.
The winner of the Hong Kong Open will get a place in the Masters and the Open Championship next year as part of a new qualification process that includes national opens.
