Link Hong Kong Open | Round 1 Highlights | The International Series | Asian Tour | 2025

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 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.

𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬
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It’s the link Hong Kong Open. Real quality field and the added incentive this year of a place for the winner in both the Open and the Masters next year. Well, in the relatively soft conditions, the scoring has been pretty good this morning. Patrick Reed, defending champion, finishing at the 10th with his sixth birdie of the round. A 65 for Patrick Reed, five under. Good start to the defense of his title. But it really has been a day to remember for the young Hong Kong amateur Jeffrey Shen. A birdie at the 18th, one of nine on his card. A 637 under for Jeffrey Shen. and Scott Vincent. This is his second here on the 10th. This was his last hole after making nine straight pars. Oh, peppers the pin. Walks away with birdie. Now Jazzy on left to right putt here for birdie on one read it perfectly. Good round for Jazz today. And Kered, this is his birdie here on the 10th. His last hole after making bogey gets one back. Great round. 62 for the tie. Tom McKibben, the 22 from Northern Ireland who plays on the Live Golf League, started on 11 this morning. Was already six under par as he approached the par five third. Second shot over the water. Brilliant shot that led to an eagle three hard all the way up to the eighth. The par three tricky uphill small narrow green with a chance to shoot 59 and that was a birdie. So with two holes left to play birdie birdie finish would have led to a 59. This was his third on that penultimate hole. Oh just inches away but he approached the last hole. His last hole the 10th. A birdie there and a new course record 60 for Tom McKibben. Yeah, what a fabulous round of golf from the oldman and a course record because of course last year we were playing preferred lies. So Patrick Reed’s 59 was not the official course record. Tom McKibben 60 certainly is the two ties Jin Watan and on Nappy Barnrat 61 and 62 and uh they’re at nine and eight under respectively Australia’s Matt Jones good start so too Kenai Herata Scott Vincent Wang Nai Shen or Jeffrey Shen and MJ Maguire also getting off to a great start. I didn’t expect that Doogie I must admit but okay get one back for him. Harold Varnner this for a birdie to get him to three under par. Oh yeah. Oh what a putt. Samson Zang. This is a second here on the fourth. Oh, what a shot. Taylor Gu this for birdie. Also his first event back since the end of the live golf season. Took a few weeks off to spend with his family. Rolled that one beautifully. Bounced back after that bogey. Count Dean Burmeister. Last to go here on the par 38. He’s looking at it. Oh, great shot from Burmy. We got soft greens. Perfect number 125 for Ben Campbell. He’s got visions of sticking one in tight. Thomas Peters. This is a second here on the fourth. Just found that rough. Always going to be difficult to control spin. But that was perfectly judged. Oh yeah. I echo Dom’s point. This is such a fast putt under normal conditions for Ben Campbell, but a little easier in these conditions this year. Not difficult though. Peter, you line. This is a second here on the short for 10th. Yeah, just 103 left for Davidid Pooch. He could flight one in a little lower. Try and pitch it past the hole. Draw it back with some spin. Well, no one reads these better than Ben Campbell. Indeed, winner of Live Golf Chicago. Found some form late into his season. Nice to watch a long one roll in there for Dean. Sam Horfield is for birdie. Get him to four on the par. Ahead to the par 312. Arold varna. Beautiful shot. Like Dom said, pretty simple up and down for Ben Campbell. Kicks right when it gets on the green and rolls pretty straight. There you go. Louis is unfortunate to be hitting out of the fairway as 108 yards. His ball took about three bounces before he just got onto the fairway. So hopefully he’ll use the good control to hit it in there close. New irons this week for Louie. He went with a lighter one to be able to maybe move that ball left to right. Slightly softer face. Now TK the young amateur Stanford student. Yeah. I was in the same flight as TK coming in. Him and his mom and dad. He’s loving life at Stanford. It needs good speed here. I thought that was going to miss. Just caught enough of the hole. Found the bunker with his second shot. Peter Uline, but he is a terrific bunker player. That’s very nicely done. Should be a birdie four for the American. Oh, big drive from Harold here on the par 513. Oh. Oh, and an opportunity for an eagle there to get him to six on the par. Well, after that magnificent second shot, although he was probably only hitting a seven or an eight iron in on this par five, Vana, but great opportunity to move to six under par to the right and it’s late, too. I mean, it looks like a dead flat green this one. A double green with the 17. Has to go back to back birdies. spoke to him on the bus this morning. Says he really loves playing out here. Get the impression, Suan, that Peter just loves playing anywhere. Thomas Peter is out in 30. That’s four under par. 3436 the pass on two nines. It’s a golden opportunity from the fairway to knock one in very close. Not too bad at all. Breath of wind into Ding’s face. Front pin. Should get a lot of spin on this. Boy, is this on a good line. Thomas Peters for a birdie at 10. Yeah. Well done. under. First birdie since that opening run of four in a row. Just a simple shot left for Louis station. 121 left. Almost no one to speak of. Just take a direct line at the pin. That’s a good result there. Now the big man from Florida, Austin Trusslo. Oh, well done on the other side of the golf course. He’s gone to six underpar. Reaction says it all. Now from China, Wuun who will also be here in a couple of weeks time. I think it represents the province that Shanghai is in, which slips my mind at the moment. I think it’s Shanghai now. Lihiri. Good angle into this front left pin for Lihiri. He likes to hit it from right to left. Oh, what a shot. This does move maybe a little bit more from left to right than I first said. And perfectly judged from VA. It’s slight downhill hill here for Lehi and looks like a small movement from his right. Yes, it’s a strange old day for Ben Campbell. At least he finishes with the birdie though and he finishes under par ditch that runs across this fairway. which is slightly higher on the left side of this line. Yeah, we’re all looking at each other because this is an ominously impressive performance by Louis Tasen, isn’t it? Dominic FA just firing at that pen. Oh, that’s a good putt from Samson Zang. Hits the putting surface. Maybe take a yard bounce forward. number one. Oh, that’s class, isn’t it? Great round of golf from the former open champion Louis Hazen gets away with a par at the last. Brilliant. 62 8 under, only two behind. Well, as we expected and as we always enjoy, it’s been a splendid opening round of the Link Hong Kong Open. How you doing? It’s Peter Uline. Thanks for watching the Asian Tour on YouTube. Don’t forget to like and subscribe.