Young Tom McKibbin’s rookie season continues to shine brightly in the Rainbow Nation with the soon-to-be 20-year old grabbing a third top-20 in as many events at the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek.
McKibbin, who ends his teenage years on December 19th, saved the best for last grabbing an eagle ‘2’ and six birdies in muscling his way to a final round 66 for a share of 13th in the co-sanctioned event to the east of Joburg.
The effort for the Galgorm Castle attached golfer matched a best in six rounds in his rookie year and after a similar 66 on the final day of Joburg Open where he shared 18th place while he arrived at Leopard Creek having finished tied in 15th place in the South Africa Open.
Tour rookie Tom McKibbin posts a third straight top-20 following his share of 13th at the Alfred Dunhill Championship (Photo – DP World Tour/Getty)
The trio of superb showings has McKibbin lying 27th on the 2022/23 Race to Dubai rankings and with earnings of just over Euro 52,000 ahead of his final event of the year at this week’s Afr/Asia Mauritius Open.
“Yeah, I’m very happy, six-under was a nice way to finish off the week,” said McKibbin in Irish Golfer Magazine.
“I didn’t really have much good stuff the first three days but today was a lot more like it, played pretty nice. As I said before the course is so good and it was nice to shoot a really nice round to finish.
“I putted a wee bit better, drove it pretty well, everything was just solid, didn’t make too many errors and holed some nice putts which was the key.”
McKibbin capped his round at the driveable 284-metre par-4 sixth hole in holing his eagle putt, and as he had done on day one.
He managed six other birdies and recorded over the four rounds, two eagles and 19 birdies while he also posted 11 bogeys and a third-round double-bogey.
“Yeah pretty happy with my game, which has been pretty solid the last two weeks even though I haven’t played great,” McKibbin added.
“My first week was pretty solid but these last two weeks it’s nice to see a few good finishes for not having my best stuff.
“Nothing else going on so may as well play. It’s a bit cold at home so I’ll happily take another week in the sun.”
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley also signed off on a good note with a two-under 70 to move to six-under-par and grab a share of 32nd place.
Bush-loving South African Ockie Strydom recovered from a double bogey on the ninth to hold on for a two-shot win maiden DP World Tour victory over a host of LIV Golf rebels.
Ockie, whose only other pro win was a Sunshine Tour event in 2019, signed for a closing 69 to win by two shots at 18-under from the LIV Golf pair of Spain’sAdrian Otaegui (68) second at 16-under and with American Laurie Canter (64) third at 15-under while their fellow LIV stars Branden Grace (70) and Louis Oosthuzien (68) finished at 14-under and 13-under respectively.
“It’s my favourite place, this and all credit to Johann Rupert. The course is looking phenomenal – the best I’ve ever seen it,” said the 37-year-old Strydom.
“It’s the bush. I’m calm in the bush. My first win was in the bush and now we’re back in the bush.
“I’m just happy.”
