THE 153RD OPEN

July 17, 2025

Tom McKibbin

Mixed Zone

Q. Tom, a funny old day on the links. Obviously not a good start. Brilliant bit in the middle. At the end, a 72. What was your own feeling about the day?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it was as you say. A little bit of everything in there, a little bit of a good, a little bit of bad. Overall 1-over. Not great, but not bad. Overall not too annoyed but not happy. It was overall a very sort of up-and-down day.

Q. It was a really difficult start to overcome. What snapped your mind back into birdie mode?

TOM McKIBBIN: I don't know. Obviously I was 2-over after three. I don't really feel like I hit too bad of a shot to sort of be in that position. I just missed the fairway on 1 and didn't have a good lie at all. I hit a good shot into 3 and came up a little bit short. Then I hit it down the middle of the fairway on 4 and it was in a divot. It was just not going my way. Hit a good bunker shot on 5 and made a birdie there, sort of 1-over after 5 isn't too bad.

Then started to play quite nicely after that. I only sort of struggled on the holes with the wind off the left. Besides that, it was okay.

Q. This time last year you started with a 73 and you weren't that happy. You're understanding that there's patience here required for four days, and you want to be around come Sunday.

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, definitely. You always want to play four days at these tournaments. I think it's just important to try and not make big numbers. I think you can certainly hit a few errant tee shots and shots out there, but it's all about trying to sort of get yourself back in position, trying not to be too greedy and sort of go for something that you could ultimately make a 6 or a 7 very easily.

When you do go out of position, just try and be patient as you said and stick in there.

Q. How were the nerves this morning going out there?

TOM McKIBBIN: Not too bad. I think Rory's made that tee shot a lot scarier. That's all I could probably think about for the last three days. I wouldn't say I was too nervous. I just didn't really want to hit that bad of a shot. Yeah, I was very happy to get it sort of under way.

Yeah, a little bit nervous and a little bit scared of hitting that shot.

Q. It feel like an honour, though, going out first alongside Padraig?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it was pretty cool to get out there first, sort of get those sort of nerves or a little bit of unsettlement out of the way early. Then to go out with two great players as well was very good.

Q. You had a huge reception on the 1st and the crowds followed you throughout it. You must be very grateful for the support this week?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it's amazing getting sort of clapped on every tee and green. It was pretty cool today, sort of the first experience of that kind. They're out there wanting you to do the best that you can, and it's sort of great to have that support.

Q. How did the course play?

TOM McKIBBIN: It was tricky. Some of the pin positions are really good. They're just over just slopes. I played here so many times, and you would never even think of seeing pins where they are. It played pretty tricky.

Q. After playing the first round, is there a score in your head that could potentially win this tournament?

TOM McKIBBIN: No, I have no idea.

Q. Did you notice the Spider Cam when you were on the green?

TOM McKIBBIN: Not when I was hitting my shot. I could obviously see it when the other guys were hitting it, and I could see it yesterday for the first time, and it was a little bit different. I'd never seen it before, but it's pretty cool the way it can move and do all those swings.

Q. You didn't notice it?

TOM McKIBBIN: No, I didn't see it, no.

Q. As a golf fan, will you watch the golf this afternoon? Will you watch Rory's round?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, probably. I got up at 3:30 this morning. So I'll probably go back and lie in bed for a little bit. Probably by the time he tees off, I'll have hopefully have woken up by then.

Q. Did you have much interaction with Padraig? We spoke to him yesterday about speaking with you. He said Tom won't listen to me; he's got to push on with his career and start knocking in top 10s, top 20s in majors.

TOM McKIBBIN: No, not really. We're both trying to go out there and play the best we can. We're not really out there to try to sort of interact too much. It's obviously a very different day. It's a major. You're trying to focus as much as you can. Sometimes the balls are a little bit all over the place and we're onto them. So not too much today.

Q. He said he was going to be nervous too.

TOM McKIBBIN: No, definitely. He striped it off the 1st, yeah.