Tom McKibbin dominated the Link Hong Kong Open on Sunday, cruising to a seven-stroke victory that came with a valuable bonus: a spot in the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The 22-year-old LIV Golf member began the final round with just a one-shot lead over M.J. Maguire, but quickly put distance between himself and the field. McKibbin caught fire on the back nine, birdieing five of his first seven holes to pull away. Despite a bogey on his final hole, he posted a scorching 7-under 63 to finish at 27 under — seven clear of fellow LIV player Peter Uihlein.
McKibbin’s path to professional golf took an interesting turn. He originally committed to the University of Florida but opted to turn pro instead, eventually joining LIV Golf last year. This Hong Kong victory marks his third professional win, following his 2023 Porsche European Open triumph on the DP World Tour and a 2022 Minor League Golf Tour event where he edged current PGA Tour player Eric Cole by a single shot.
The Open Championship berth will be McKibbin’s third appearance in golf’s oldest major. He missed the cut this past summer at Royal Portrush and finished T-66 in his debut at Royal Troon in 2024. He’s also competed in the U.S. Open (T-41 in 2024) and PGA Championship (T-50 in 2025).
Maguire, the journeyman pro who played collegiately at North Florida, couldn’t keep pace with McKibbin’s Sunday charge. His closing 70 left him at 19 under, tied for third alongside Louis Oosthuizen and Tomoyo Ikemura. Wenyi Ding, who turned pro early from Arizona State last fall, finished T-6 with Matt Jones and Scott Hend.
The Hong Kong Open was the third of 15 Open Qualifying Series events for the 2026 championship. Marco Penge (Spanish Open) and Naoyuki Kataoka (Japan Open) have also secured their spots. Next up in the qualifying series is the Australian Open, scheduled for December 4-7.
