Tom McKibbin can’t wait to get to The Open after soaring 31 places to a career-high of 97th in the world following his runner-up finish in the Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia Romagna.
The young Holywood star (21) closed with a six-under 65 to secure one of two places at Royal Troon and a playoff with Germany’s Marcel Siem.
An Open debut and the chance of a second DP World Tour win looked unlikely as he began the final round three hours behind the leaders and six shots off the pace.
But buoyed by the boost in confidence he gained by making the cut on his US Open debut at Pinehurst last month, the Newtownabbey native surged through the field to record his sixth top-ten finish this season.
While Siem denied him a second win, finishing with a birdie to force a playoff before making birdie again in their return to the 18th to claim his sixth win, there were lots of positives for McKibbin.
He’s now eighth in the Race to Dubai and in position to win a PGA Tour card awarded to the top 10 players in the final standings who are not already exempt on the US circuit.
“I’m so excited,” McKibbin said of The Open. “Thrilled. I got a taste of what the US Open was like a couple of weeks ago. So obviously, I’m looking forward to going to Troon.
“I’ve never played it. I went to one of the practice rounds there the last time it was played, but I can’t remember anything about it,
With his Open debut now secure, he’s pulled out of this week’s BMW International Ooen in Munich and no longer needs to play Final Qualifying tomorrow.
“I’ve been getting a little tired, and I wasn’t really looking forward to going to Final Qualifying. So I’ll rest up, get ready for the Scottish Open and Troon.”
Having missed just one cut this season and earned close to €1 million, he’s understandably upbeat about his game.
“Yeah, my confidence level is pretty good,” he said yesterday. “I have only missed one cut this year and was sick that weekend in Singapore in October.
“So yeah, I think everything’s just been good. I’ve been really happy with everything.
“My game has stayed very consistent. My swing has been consistent and my equipment has been really good.
“So I think everything’s just been very easy; a lot of stress-free golf and not having to grind too much.”
McKibbin wanted to test his game in the US Open and it proved to be a positive experience as he made the cut on his major debut and matched world number one Scottie Scheffler in the final round as they shot matching 72s to tie for 41st.
“It was a great experience, I think, going over there and playing against the best guys in the world,” McKibbin said. “Pinehurst was probably one of the hardest courses I’ve ever played, and it might have made the last couple of weeks feel a bit easier, even though they’re definitely not.
“I think that was just a great experience for me to see where my game was at and to come back here and play some nice golf after having a few busy weeks.
“It was very pleasing (to see my game stack up) because obviously, you never really know.
“You’re just watching on TV and, and judging against the guys you play with, but to go over there and play a golf course that I had never played before at that sort of level and difficulty and be right in the middle of everything it was good.”
As McKibbin was heading home from Italy, Australia’s Cam Davis (29) won the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
He carded a two-under 70 to win by a shot from Davis Thompson, Min Woo Lee, Aaron Rai and Akshay Bhatia, who three putted the last from 32 feet for bogey.
Bhatia left his birdie putt for the title short, and while he hadn’t missed a putt inside six feet all week, he pulled his four-footer to force a playoff.
“I wouldn’t wish what happened to Akshay on anyone, but I’ve done a lot of grinding to kind of get myself out of a (mental) hole, and just all of a sudden to do that, it’s pretty good,” Davis said.
“When Akshay missed that putt, it’s a combination of shock and feeling bad for him, but at the same time just realising that the huge burden of trying to win again is off the shoulders.”
Meanwhile, there will be a Monday finish at the US Senior Open for the first time since 2016.
A late-afternoon thunderstorm on Sunday at Newport Country Club suspended play in the final round and conditions would not allow play to resume.
The USGA tried to get ahead of the impending storm by scheduling an 8:20 a.m. start for the final round, but heavy fog delayed those plans for two hours.
Only 11 of the 71 players competing managed to finish their final round before the weather suspension at 3:01 p.m.
While Darren Clarke closed with a one-over 71 to share 45th on two-over, overnight leader Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan played just ten holes and led by three shots on 16-under from Richard Bland.
Padraig Harrington was tied for 11th on five-under through 14 holes.