In the buzzing atmosphere of the Hong Kong Golf Club, Irish‑born Tom McKibbin stayed a step ahead of the field in the Link Hong Kong Open as the final round approached. He opened the day with a 60 and followed it up with a 65 to hold a two‑shot lead over American Peter Uihlein.
McKibbin’s first round was a bogey‑free 60, setting the tone for a tough day of golf. He kept his edge with a solid 65 on the second day, moving the Irishman to 20‑under. American MJ Maguire surged forward with a 61, only a shot behind McKibbin. Uihlein ran into trouble later, recording two late bogeys while his partner finished 18‑under.
India’s top golfers kept it in the mix, too. Anirban Lahiri finished the day at 12‑under, tied for 18th. S.S.P. Chawrasia moved to 8‑under and Ajeetesh Sandhu ended at 7‑under.
From Thailand, Kiradech Aphibarnrat slotted in at 15‑under, sharing a fourth‑place tie with Australia’s veteran Scott Hend, who posted a six‑under 64. U.S. player Charles Howell III and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen both sat at 16‑under. In the upper‑midrange of the leaderboard, American Charles Porter, Korean‑American Micah Shin and Thai Poom Saksansin were all close to the top, with Shin showcasing an impressive 63‑round.
McKibbin’s run of birdies was interrupted by a dropped shot on a short par‑three, but he answered with two consecutive birdies on holes 4 and 5. He continued to chip in with birdies on 6, 9 and 12, slipped a bogey on 15, then took back the lead with birdies on 16 and 17. His most critical shot came in a tense moment as the Australian and U.S. duo chased him – his presence remained solid, keeping the margin tight.
“Conditions were a bit tougher today, the pins seemed harder and the holes tighter, but I felt I played solid golf,” McKibbin said after the round. “I’m already feeling confident looking ahead; finishing second or third contributes in and of itself.”
Maguire’s day had its share of drama. After a steady front‑nine, he surprised everyone with a hole‑out on the 11th and followed it with a run of birdies and an eagle between 10 and 13. “That 11th was a spark,” he recalled. “I hit a punchy eight‑iron that landed on the green and dropped in. The rest fell into place.” He finished with a strong back‑nine, completing the round on par.
Uihlein, meanwhile, found a mid‑to‑late‑round slump after a triple bogey on the 10th. Despite five birdies by the 14th, a late‑round bogey‑birdie sequence kept him two shots adrift of McKibbin, finishing at 65.
Scott Hend, another seasoned Asian Tour champion, impressed with a 64 and a safe, solid game that kept him within striking distance of the lead. “I played simple golf,” he noted. “Staying steady was key; I’ll need a lower round to catch up.”
Kiradech, who only made his first Asian Tour start of the season, started with a rough opening and settled into a solid run of boredom. “I started rough but picked up a bunch of birdies and an eagle to stay in contention. It’s a great week, and we’re excited about the conditions,” he said.
The Link Hong Kong Open is the seventh of nine Asian Tour events that offer a pathway to the newly formed LIV Golf League. With coveted spots in next year’s Open Championship and Masters on the line and points on the International Series rankings at stake, the pressure will mount on the leaderboard in tomorrow’s final round.
Source: ianslive
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