McKibbin fires 65 to surge into the mix at Porsche Singapore Classic
Tom McKibbin of Legion XIII waits on the sixth hole during the first round of LIV Golf Riyadh at Riyadh Golf Club on Thursday, February 06, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)
Tom McKibbin hopes to motor away with the Porsche Singapore Classic after carding a sparkling seven-under 65 to lie just shot off the lead heading into the final round.
After winning his maiden DP World Tour title at the 2023 Porsche European Open before going to LIV Golf in January, McKibbin is looking for a win in the 54-hole event that could catapult him into the Ryder Cup conversation.
After failing to build on a hot start to open with a three under 69 on Friday, McKibbin (22) took advantage of a putter change and mixed birdies at the 10th, 13th, fifth and seventh with eagle threes at the 18th and third to get to 11-under.
He bogeyed the ninth, his final hole, to shoot 65 but was pleased to shoot a 65 that left him in a five-way tie for second with Adrien Saddier (68), Matthew Jordan (69), Richard Mansell (66) and Fabrizio Zanotti (65), a shot behind American Dan Erikson who shot 64 to lead on 111-under.
“There wasn’t much difference between today and yesterday,” he said. “I played very similar to yesterday and held a few more putts today and I just continued on the momentum that I was on. I feel like I’ve been playing quite nice recently but just haven’t been able to finish the rounds off, and today, I kept pushing and managed to get a few more birdies.”
The Holywood star is enjoying the soft conditions at Laguna National, where the first round was washed out by heavy rain, and the event reduced to 54 holes.
“I quite like how soft it is,” he said. “It makes the fairways wider and obviously, the greens, you know it’s just going to sort of stay where it is or spin back. So I just sort of like the look I’ve played here, it’s my third time now and I’ve always enjoyed coming and playing this course. There’s just something there that suits my eye.”
He’s hoping his putter change will make the difference in the final round and help clinch his second win as a professional.
“I tinker a lot with putters, and this week, I went back to something a little bit familiar to me, not a new putter, but something I've used before,” he told Sky Sports.
“I've been putting quite nice this year, but I hadn't been putting as good inside eight feet as I had last year.
“So I just wanted something that I feel a little bit more comfortable with in that sort of range. And it's it's been working so far.”
As for what it would mean to win another Porsche event, he said: “It would mean a lot. I sort of tend to like these events. Just sort of being up there with the chance to go forward tomorrow means a lot. I’ve worked hard this year and the winter and it’s nice to see some good signs again.”
Conor Purcell shot 72 to miss the two-under-par cut by three strokes.
The Irish are playing for the minor places in the LET’s Ford Women’s NSW Open in Australia.
Anna Foster’s level par 71 left her 34th on three-under, 12 shots behind leader Mimi Rhodes, while Annabel Wilson (74) and Lauren Walsh (72) were tied 59th on one-over.
In Macau, Patrick Reed and Carlos Ortiz will start tomorrow’s final round of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, sharing the lead after the pair battled it out for the top spot all day today.
Reed, who has led since day one, shot a three-under-par 67, while Ortiz returned a 66 here at Macau Golf and Country Club.
They lead on 16-under by three from Germany’s Dominic Foos and American Jason Kokrak, who both returned 65s.
Australia’s Lucas Herbert is two strokes further back, in an event that will see the top three secure places in The Open Championship, held this year at Royal Portrush.
Graeme McDowell was tied for 43rd on three-under after a 70.
On the PGA Tour Champions, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke shot a two-under 69s to share 24th, five shots behind Brendan Jones in the Hoag Classic.
