LIV Golf star Tom McKibbin carded a brilliant, bogey-free 10-under round of 60 in a morning of low scoring, to take the first-round clubhouse lead and set a new course record on day one of the Link Hong Kong Open.

McKibbin, a member of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team, teed off on hole 11 and picked up early birdies on 12 and 13, before carding three on the spin from 15 to 17. The 22-year-old then went birdie-eagle on two and three, before picking up two more shots on eight and 10 for a one-shot clubhouse lead. The 60 is an official course record as Patrick Reed’s 59 last year was played with preferred lies.

Thai star Jazz Janewattananond, playing three groups behind and also starting off 11, produced a flawless round of 61 to sit one off the lead. The 2023 International Series Morocco champion, a seven-time Asian Tour winner started slower with three birdies on his front nine, before reeling off six on his back nine.

Compatriot Kiradech Aphibarnrat is a shot further behind on eight under. Also starting on 11, the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion was three under through three and four under at the turn, but a bogey on nine, his penultimate hole, was the only blemish on a card that included nine birdies.

The Northern Irishman, McKibbin, was delighted with his morning’s work. The 2023 Porsche European Open winner on the DP World Tour, who finished T6 at LIV Golf Hong Kong earlier this season, said: “It was obviously a very, very good round. I didn’t really miss too many shots, holed a few nice putts and took advantage of the two par fives that there are out there. And yes, 60 shots later, I’m sitting here!”

On flirting with Reed’s 59, which the American posted in the third round en route to a four-shot victory last year, McKibbin said: “No, I looked at the scorecard after 17 holes and saw it was a par 70, so I knew I had to eagle the last so maybe that helped.. But yes, 60 is the lowest round that I have ever shot – 62 has been my best before. So it was nice to break that, fantastic.”

Local youngster Jeffrey Shen was in a four-man group on seven under alongside International Series Rankings leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, LIV Golf star Matt Jones of Australia, ad Japan’s Kensei Hirata. Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Kazuki Higa of Japan is a shot further back on six under along with compatriot Tomaya Ikemura, who eagled 13, plus the Australian Travis Smyth, Ian Snyman of South Africa, MJ Maguire of the U.S. and in-form Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand.

Talented youngster Shen was in tremendous form, bouncing back well from the heat stroke he suffered last weekend at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai, UAE.

He said: “I mean, I like this feeling, with my family and my friends here to support me, and because this is my home course, every time I feel really good here. At Hong Kong Golf Club, it is all about the putting. So you need to plan for it because the pin position is changed every day.”

Reed, the defending champion, is handily placed on five under in a three-man group on T15, while Miguel Tabuena, last week’s International Series Philippines winner, is in a group on T18, four under for the day.

The Link Hong Kong Open is the seventh of nine elevated events on the Asian Tour that form a pathway onto the LIV Golf League for the season-ending Rankings champion.

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Main Image: Asian Tour