MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 7, 2026

Tom McKibbin

Quick Quotes

Q. Tom, you are our representative from the Asian Tour, should I say it that way. But just give me your fullest impressions, your fullest Masters. How has it lived up to your expectations?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it's been everything I could imagine. Yeah, just being here it's pretty special and getting the opportunity to play has been incredible. So, yeah, I've got a few rounds under my belt around here so far, loved every minute of it.

Q. What kind of preparation have you done for this week in particular? Have you been here with, say, John or somebody here before? Did you play a few practice rounds?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah. So me and Tyrrell came up last weekend and played last Sunday and Monday. So we got two rounds in and then a week of practice in between that.

So, yeah, it was really good to come up and play the course a week before and sort of see what was needed and sort of get that sort of pinch-me moment out of the way early.

So, yeah, it was definitely very beneficial to come up early and get some work in.

Q. As a first-timer at Augusta National, what are some of the things about this golf course that everyone talks, anybody who is playing it for the first time how overwhelemed they get? What were those moments for you?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah. I think just the second shots. I mean, some of the lies you hit off into these tiny greens that are firm and fast definitely give you that "wow" sort of moment. And, yeah, it's what makes the golf course very tricky. You have to be very precise, and yeah, a good shot from a bad shot is only a couple feet away.

Q. Tom, how good was that week in Hong Kong? It started with a 60, finished with 27-under. How good was that week?

And, also, can you talk to us about this new thing that Augusta National has started with the national Opens that gave you a chance to come into this tournament?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it's great. Sort of having the opportunity to go and play in Hong Kong for a spot here was nice, sort of being able to go into that week and knowing that sort of first place or didn't really matter.

So, yeah, it was great to sort of have that opportunity and sort of the thing that did with some of the national opens, given chances, a few chances every year is really cool. It's a really good opportunity for guys like us to sort of get here and play the Masters.

Q. And talking about the Hong Kong Golf Club. The golf course is one of the most strategic ones that we have back in Asia. Do you find any kind of similarities in the topography or in the strategies that you need to do?

TOM McKIBBIN: Maybe a little bit with into the greens. Obviously here is much longer golf course. You maybe have to be a little bit more precise with long irons here. But, yeah, I sort of see similar sort of things, sort of hitting into certain positions on the greens, and yeah, definitely maybe a little bit of patience as well.

Q. And which was the hole you've been most looking forward to over here playing, and which one really surprised you or really impressed you the most?

TOM McKIBBIN: Well, I guess probably the easy answer is probably 12. Yeah, I mean, I've watched it on TV for a long time. But I think that stretch from, sort of, you come over the hill on 11 all the way through 13 is pretty special.

And, yeah, I think sort of the par-3 6 is probably what surprised -- I didn't really realize how sloppy that green was. The right-hand side is pretty crazy.

Q. Tom, you just talked about Amen Corner. After watching it growing up and actually now playing it, what are the things that you couldn't pick up on TV that playing Amen Corner now gives you?

TOM McKIBBIN: I think how long the 11 is. Especially today we played early enough in the morning. So it's playing a long, like a driver and a 6 or 5-iron into a green that's very small.

And then I think 13, again, like I know the tee box is new-ish, I think. It's quite long. I mean, I appreciate some of the shots I've seen on TV now a lot more.

Yeah, you're hitting a 4-iron off a lie that the ball feels like it's at your knees into, again, a tiny green.

So I think just how difficult those shots are, and some of the guys make it look a lot easier than it is is what definitely caught my eye.

Q. Have you gotten any intel or any tips on how to play some of those shots, particularly like the 12 tee shot?

TOM McKIBBIN: Not really. Again, I think it's such a, yeah, I mean the wind sometimes can be all over the place, and I think you've just sort of gotta commit to a number and a shot just sort of over that bunker.

But, again, it's such a narrow target. You can try and hit it over the bunker and hit it five yards right, and it doesn't cover. You just have to be very precise and put a good sort of committed swing on it. I think if there's no commitment there, it's very easy to sort of hit it there on that hole.

Q. Have you been asked about playing with Rory? Is that cool?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah. It was cool. He went early and played 18. I started on the back around 9:00, and he caught up with us around 15. So we played the last four holes. It was pretty nice.

Obviously he won here last year, and it's sort of cool to play a couple holes with the defending champ was nice.

Yeah, he made those last couple holes look pretty easy.

Q. Did you ask about this time last year or the shot he played there?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah. I asked him about his second shot into 17. It was pretty incredible. Then he showed me sort of how close he had hit it. And, yeah, sort of to come down the stretch last year under that pressure and pull off some of those shots he did was really cool.

Q. Did he explain how he hit the second into the bunker last year?

TOM McKIBBIN: He did not. No. I didn't want to remind him about that, no. (Laughs).

Q. What about his second on the playoff?

TOM McKIBBIN: No. We were just talking about how far he hit the tee shot. I think we hit like a 6 and a 7-iron in there today, and I think he was hitting a wedge in last year. So, yeah, it definitely plays long when it was into the wind today.