Tom McKibbin’s mouth-watering earnings from DP World Tour win revealed as golfer, 20, pays incredible tribute to family
TOM McKIBBIN made history after winning on the DP World Tour for the very first time.
The 20-year-old, who hails from the same club in Holywood as a certain Rory McIlroy, won the European Open on Sunday.
The Antrim youngster carded a final round of 70 to finish on nine under par in Germany, two shots ahead of home favourites Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer — and Julien Guerrier.
Going into the day in a three-way tie, he took the outright lead as he birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth holes to move two shots clear.
Bogeys on the 11th and 13th, coupled with Kieffer’s birdie on the 16th, saw the pair tied at the top.
But McKibbin edged back in front with a birdie on the 15th and set up another on the par-five 18th with a nerveless second shot from 203 yards.
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As reward for his star-making performance, McKibbin collected prize money of a cool €317,000.
And taking to social media in the aftermath of the victory, McKibbin dedicated his extraordinary success to his family.
He tweeted: "So happy to get my first win at the @PorscheEuropeanOpen on the @DpWorldTour.
"A huge thank you to my Mum & Dad, my team, my caddie Dave McNeilly & my sponsors for all their support.
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"To everyone who has supported me - thank you, I really do appreciate it!!"
ALWAYS KNEW
Speaking to Sky Sports after his momentous victory, McKibbin insisted he always felt he had the ability to clinch that first win.
He said: "It’s pretty amazing. It was just nice to go out there and put a really, really nice round together.
“I always thought I was good enough to win but to prove it today was pretty special.
“I’ve learned a lot from failures, missing cuts by a shot and missing things slightly.
“To take all those things I’ve learned and put them into play today was really nice. It probably won’t sink in until tomorrow.
“But to have my dad here — he comes most weeks — is pretty special. To win in front of him is amazing.”
McKibbin then revealed that his stunning second shot on the 18th was likely his best.
He admitted: “It’s probably one of the best shots I have ever hit.
“It was sort of tricky and it wasn’t. I was trying to hit just at the right edge of the green.
“If it turned over I knew the water wasn’t in play because if I turned it over, it would have gone further.
“It looked really good on camera I’m sure but it was an easier shot than laying up and hitting over the water I thought.”