Tom McKibbin ready for 'exciting' PGA Tour challenge after dramatically earning card
TOUR BOUND: Tom McKibbin and his caddie on the 18th green following their final round at the DP Tour World Championship. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
Tom McKibbin earned a PGA Tour card with his last putt at the DP Tour World Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Sunday.
The 21-year-old closed out his final round in Dubai with a birdie, finishing tied for 11th and earning himself enough points to nab the final of the ten cards on offer. McKibbin finished just 10.43 points ahead of England's Jordan Smith in the rankings.
"Yeah, very exciting," McKibbin said immediately after his round when told he had likely won himself a card.
"Yeah it would be great to be over there on the PGA TOUR, a tour I've watched a long time, and it will be great over there and play some golf."
It was a rollercoaster final round for McKibbin who went into Sunday having shot a a five-under 67 on Saturday. Level par for the final round, he birdied the 14th but then bogeyed both the 15th and 16th, parred the penultimate hole and then two-putted for that crucial birdie as he finished on eight-under for the tournament.
Tom McKibbin tells Rory McIlroy that he'll be joining him on the PGA TOUR 🥹
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2024
The 21-year-old claimed the final dual membership spot.#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/c6cUFdBfvm
"I think it was a tough one," McKibbin said about the pressure he felt.
"I mean, sort of wanting to finish the tournament as best I can, knowing that was on the line, a hard golf course and pretty tricky day. Especially 17, 18, I feel like you don't have to hit too poor of a shot find the water and likely I hit pretty good ones."
McKibbin's home club is Holywood, the same as Rory McIlroy. After McIlroy won both the tournament and his sixth Race to Dubai title on Sunday, the pair shared an embrace when McKibbin shared his good news.
McKibbin believes he has the game to make inroads on the PGA Tour.
"Seems like I like to play on some of the harder courses and that suits my game a little more," he said, "so it will be exciting to get over there and see how it goes."
