Tom McKibbin’s dominant victory Sunday at the Link Hong Kong Open came with an added prize: a spot in the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

McKibbin began the final round at Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling leading by just a shot over M.J. Maguire, the journeyman pro who played his college golf at North Florida. McKibbin, who committed to Florida before instead turning pro and later joining LIV Golf last year, birdied five of his first seven holes on the back nine to pull away. Though he bogeyed his last, McKibbin still fired 7-under 63 to finish at 27 under, a whopping seven strokes clear of fellow LIV member Peter Uihlein.

Next year’s Open start will be the 22-year-old McKibbin’s third appearance. He missed the cut this past summer at Royal Portrush and was T-66 in his debut in 2

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