LIV Phenomenon Halfway to Masters Bid, Spots Open

This week’s Link Hong Kong Open 2025 is no ordinary Asian Tour event. There are huge rewards on the line for winning the event this year, namely spots in the 2026 Masters and the Open Championship.

With major ramifications in mind, dozens of LIV Golf pros are on the field this week. And after shooting the lowest score of his life in round 1, phenom Tom Mckibbinone of LIV’s youngest members, has the best chance of claiming those top invites.

Here’s what you need to know.

Tom McKibbin’s controversial decision to join LIV

First, a little background on McKibbin. The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland has been one of the most promising prospects in world golf in recent years.

In 2024, McKibbin played well enough on the DP World Tour to earn his PGA Tour card for 2025. But there was a complication for the future star: LIV Golf had also made him an offer.

McKibbin is from Northern Ireland and grew up playing Holywood Golf Club, the same course where Rory McIlroy learned the game.

Given their connection, McKibbin called McIlroy to get his advice on the big decision he faced: should he join the PGA Tour with McIlroy or play LIV Golf?

McIlroy tried to convince McKibbin to choose the PGA Tourwith the argument that he risked giving up other opportunities if he went to LIV.

“I think what (McKibbin) is potentially sacrificing and giving up access to the majors, the potential Ryder Cup venue,” McIlroy told reporters in January. “If I was in his position and had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t have made that decision (to join LIV).

Although McKibbin admitted he had taken McIlroy’s advice into consideration, he eventually decided to turn down the PGA Tour in favor of LIV.

The fact that he wasn’t eligible for majors in 2025 at that point factored into his decision.

“But I guess I wasn’t in — I’m not in those majors right now anyway, so it really didn’t bother me too much,” McKibbin said earlier this year.

But now McKibbin has a legitimate shot at qualifying for two 2026 championships in Hong Kong.

Tom Mckibbin looks to invite the Masters after shooting 60

More than two dozen LIV Golf pros are duking it out at the Hong Kong Open, and only two of them already have spots in the Masters or the Open in 2026. Patrick Reed, who shot 59 to win the Hong Kong Open last year, has qualified for the Masters as a former champion.

Fellow LIV pro and major winner Louis Oosthuizen will similarly play the 2026 Open Champions as a past winner.

But most are in the field hoping to earn their way into the Masters and Open, a more difficult task for LIV pros since world ranking points are not awarded at LIV Golf events.

That proved to be enough of a boost for McKibbin to have one of the best rounds of his career. The Northern Irish pro shot a six-under 60 on Thursday, with eight birdies, an eagle and zero bogeys.

“Obviously it was a very, very good round. I didn’t miss a lot of shots, hit some nice shots and took advantage of the two par-5s that are there. And yes, 60 shots later, I’m sitting here!” McKoibbin said after his round.

He added, “60 is the lowest round I’ve ever shot – 62 was the best before. So it was good to break that, fantastic.”

Although he just missed tying Reed’s 59 from the previous year, McKibbin’s 60 actually set the course record because Reed’s 59 was shot according to lift, clearance and placement rules. He then followed that up with a 65 in the second round to extend his lead by two shots at the halfway mark. Peter Uihlein, Jazz Janewattananond and Kiradech Aphibarnrat are tied for second at 13 under.

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