Hong Kong Open – third spherical
-20 T McKibbin (NI); -19 MJ Maguire (US); -18 P Uihlein (US); -17 Okay Aphibarnrat (Tha), S Hend (Aus); -16 C Howell (US), L Oosthuizen (SA).
Chosen others: -9 S Horsfield (Eng), P Reed (US); -8 T Gooch (US); -5 P Casey (Eng).
Tom McKibbin strengthened his bid to qualify for subsequent 12 months’s Masters and Open Championship with a third-round 65 as he continued to steer the Hong Kong Open.
After opening the event with a course document of 60 and carding a second-round 65, McKibbin registered one bogey and two birdies within the opening 4 holes of day three in Fanling.
The 22-year-old would add one other birdie on the twelfth earlier than consecutive birdies on gap 16 and 17 took his whole to 65 on the penultimate day.
The winner of the occasion will qualify for the 2026 Masters, whereas the highest-placed non-exempt participant who makes the reduce will earn a spot on the 154th Open.
The Northern Eire native is trying to qualify for subsequent 12 months’s Masters for the primary time, and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.
McKibbin’s lead over M.J. Maguire was lowered to 1 after 54 holes, with Peter Uihlein two photographs behind and Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Scott Hend three off the tempo.
