A spectacular hole-in-one has helped Northern Ireland’s rising Tom McKibbin make a superb start to the South African Open Championship.
The 19-year-old, who hails from the same golf club as world No.1 Rory McIlroy, holed out with a five iron from 212 meters on the 11th hole at Blair Atholl Golf and Country Estate, the longest course in European Tour history .
McKibbin also recorded five birdies and two bogeys to card an opening 67 and even outshone his experienced playing partner Edoardo Molinari, the Ryder Cup vice-captain, who had six birdies and a solitary bogey in the same score.
They both trail local favorite Thriston Lawrence by three shots, with the South African equaling his own course record with a superb 64.
“I’m feeling good, it was a good round of golf to start the week off so I’m pretty happy,” said McKibbin.
“(Driving) is probably the strength of my game so to be able to take the head cover off every hole and challenge a few of the bunkers is pretty good.”
Asked about the hole-in-one, McKibbin added: “The caddie said, ‘Go right at it’ and it didn’t leave the flag. I can’t see it going in so just listened for the crowd and a roar went up and we knew it was in from there.
“I’ve had five now and only ever seen one of them go in. They’ve all been like that today, uphill and sort of blind but it’s always nice to add another one.”
England’s Ross Fisher birdied five of his last seven holes to shoot 65 and share second place with Sweden’s Jens Fahrbring, with Scotland’s Scott Jamieson a shot further back alongside Germany’s Matti Schmid, who had three eagles in his 66.
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