Tom McKibbin to make PGA Championship debut in LIVed-up field

The late invitations from the PGA of America to two 20-somethings, Tom McKibbin and David Puig, brought the number of LIV Golf players in the field at this week’s US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow to 16, four more players from that Saudi PIF-funded circuit than competed at the Masters last month.

McKibbin, the 22-year-old Belfast man, will be making his debut appearance in the PGA Championship having dipped his toes into Majors at last year’s US Open in Pinehurst (tied 41st) and The Open at Royal Troon (tied 66th).

The decision by McKibbin not to take up his new PGA Tour card and instead switch his main tour to LIV – where he joined Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team – earlier this season appeared to have damaged his chances of competing in the Majors (he is, however, qualified for The Open at Royal Portrush on the back of his finish on the DP World Tour rankings last season) but the PGA of America’s invitation opened up a window of opportunity.

McKibbin was inside the world’s top-100 following the Dubai Desert Classic in February, after which he confirmed his move to LIV, where there are no world ranking points. He has since dropped to 124th in the official world rankings.

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Incidentally, McKibbin had committed to playing in next week’s DP World Tour stop, the Soudal Open in Belgium, before getting the late invitation to Charlotte.

OFX Irish Legends to have a home-grown winner at last?

Gary Murphy will hope that home support in his native Kilkenny will provide the magic ingredient in his quest to claim the OFX Irish Legends title, which takes place at Mount Juliet in Thomastown.

No home-grown Irish player has yet managed to claim the title – with Irish-American Joe McDermott’s success at Woodbrook back in 1998 the sole Ireland win. Murphy is part of a trio of Irish players in the field, along with David Higgins and Peter Lawrie, for this year’s event, which moves from Seapoint to the Jack Nicklaus-signature course.

Brazilian Adilson da Silva is the defending champion while Major champions Paul Lawrie and Michael Campbell are also competing.

A celebrity pro-am kick-starts the event on Wednesday, with footballers Niall Quinn, Liam Brady and Robbie Fowler and singers Keith Duffy and Daniel O’Donnell among the line-up. Tickets for the tournament – which finishes on Saturday – are available on www.tickets.legendstour.com (with free admittance for under-16s).

Word of Mouth

“Shane’s an awesome guy. He’s one of my favourite people to play with. He’s a fiery competitor but a really good friend as well. It was really fun battling with him. Just grateful for him” – Sepp Straka (and Ryder Cup partner to Shane Lowry) on playing with the Irishman in the final round of the Truist. Straka’s win moved him to ninth in the updated world rankings and to fifth on Europe’s Ryder Cup qualifying list.

By the numbers: 10

Shane Lowry didn’t manage to add the Truist Championship to his list of career wins, but his tied-second placed finish behind Straka alongside Justin Thomas did move him up to a best ever world ranking of 10th.

Henrik Stenson lines up a putt on his way to winning the Benson & Hedges International open held at the Belfry, England in 2001. Photograph: Ross Kinnaird/Allsport

On this day: May 13th, 2001

Henrik Stenson was a tour rookie, having graduated from the previous season’s Challenge Tour rankings, when the 25-year-old Swede fended off experienced campaigners at The Belfry to lift his first European Tour win at the Benson & Hedges International.

Stenson’s performance – narrowly getting the job done before unmerciful thunderstorms hit – provided a glimpse into his star appeal in what would be an honour-laden career.

Rounds of 66-68-71-70 for a total of 13-under-par 275 gave Stenson a two-strokes winning margin over Paul McGinley, who birdied the final hole to share the runners-up position with Angel Cabrera.

“I just feel relieved, it’s been a tough day,” remarked Stenson of managing to stay clear of his pursuers. The win earned Stenson a cheque for €267,917 ... more than 10 times the size of his previous biggest pay-day as a professional.

Social Swing

“Victory looks good on #TeamSrixon. @seppstraka locks up his second win of the season and takes home the Truist Championship trophy!” – Srixon‘s social media post after their man Seppa Straka‘s win in the Truist . . . . . was then followed by:

“This Sunday belongs to #TeamSrixon @ryanfoxgolfer breaks through with his first PGA Tour win at Myrtle Beach” – after another Srixon man, Ryan Fox, won a playoff at the Myrtle Beach Classic, giving the New Zealander his first win on the US circuit and earning him him a place in the field at the US PGA at Quail Hollow this week.

“Health update. After consulting with doctors and my team, I have decided to have right hip surgery next week out in Colorado. It’s an unfortunate situation with so many great events left on the calendar but this is a preventative measure. I’m already itching to start rehab, get back to practicing and I look forward to returning to the course sometime around late summer/early fall” – Billy Horschel on his decision to miss the PGA at Quail Hollow to undergo surgery.

Know the Rules

Q: In stroke play, a player plays a left-handed stroke with the back of the head of a right-handed club. What is the ruling?

A: There is no penalty as, under Rule 10.1a, which deals with fairly striking the ball, it states: “In making a stroke: The player must fairly strike at the ball with any part of the head of the club such that there is only momentary contact between the club and the ball and must not push, scrape or scoop the ball.”