McKibbin faces local hero in Australian Amateur final
Tom McKibbin in action in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, SC last year. © Darren Carroll
The local media has dubbed him Mini McIlroy because of his connections with his fellow Holywood man but Tom McKibbin can add another notch to his belt as he matures as an elite player when he faces local hero Jed Morgan in the final of the Australian Amateur Championship in Brisbane.
McKibbin (17) considers McIlroy his mentor but he is very much his own man and after seeing Conor Purcell travel Down Under last year to become the first Irish winner of the famous trophy, he is now just one match away from securing the biggest win of his amateur career.
Winner of the Peter McEvoy Trophy and the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley last year, McKibbin made his senior international debut at Lahinch and as a big hitter with a great putting stroke, he only has eyes for a career in the professional game.
He teed it up in the Northern Ireland Open at Galgorm Castle at 13 and acquitted himself well with rounds of 80 and 76 before going on to shoot rounds of 71 and 78 in the European Tour's Shotclock Masters in Vienna in 2018.
It's been quite the journey for the teenager from Newtownabbey, who won the World Kids Championship at Pinehurst in 2015, the Doral Publix Junior Golf Classic and the Munster and Ulster Under 16 titles in 2017 and then in 2018 claimed the Junior Honda Classic and the inaugural Faldo Major Champions Invitational.
Tom McKibbin and Rory McIlroy at Sage Valley last year
"He's been progressing great every year since he was no age," his father Robin explained. "There are times where you think the occasion might get to him, but it doesn't see to worry him too much. He can stand up and hit the shots, even with a TV camera or a crowd around him."
"I'm just taking it one step at a time," said McKibbin, who was sixth in the Lytham Trophy last year. "I will keep improving and see what happens. Just being able to combine school with travelling the world is great. I couldn't ask for much more.”
He is set to join the University of Florida on a golf scholarship in 2021 and will likely be a leading contender for Ireland’s Eisenhower Trophy team this year with the St Andrews Trophy and a potential 2021 Walker Cup spot all within his compass.
Against Jones, he went two-up when he got up and down for birdie from a bunker at the driveable 13th but after losing the 14th he made a 10 footer to halve the 15th and after taking a one-up lead down the 18th, duly slotted a slick six-footer for a winning half.
“It was a great match against Ben, I always knew it was going to be tough,” told Golf Australia. "Obviously the weather at home isn’t great so I thought I had to come and find a few tournaments to play.”
The 36-hole final will begin at 8:00am local time tomorrow (10pm Sat. Irish time).
Morgan beat Elvis Smylie 3&2 in his quarter final before making eight birdies in a 5&3 win over England’s Charlie Strickland.
“I’d heard from the boys all week that Charlie was pretty fierce and a good player so mentally I knew I needed to play good and I needed to go beat him,” Morgan said.
He will have huge support at his home club, commenting: “It’s awesome. I used to be scared of [the crowds] but I actually love it.
“I’ve met more members this week than I’ve met in the three years I’ve been a member here. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten, that’s for sure.”
