THE 152ND OPEN

July 21, 2024

Tom McKibbin

Mixed Zone

Q. How would you assess your week's work?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, very average probably. Yeah, it was all right. Two good rounds, a decent round and a pretty terrible round, but overall it was all right.

Q. Two majors and two cuts made. When you look back, you must be pretty pleased with that. That's a nice progression.

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, for sure. I think I sort of said a couple months ago if I've played in the last two majors and made both cuts I would have taken it.

Just a little bit disappointed with this week after the good first two days. Yesterday sort of killed me a little bit. But overall it was a good week, and I think you learn a lot more playing in these events than you do any others, so it was good.

Q. And you've experienced conditions that not many have experienced before with the rain yesterday and the wind today. Still a difficult today?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, it was very hard today. The first nine holes it was so windy, straight off the right and it was so hard. If you had any curve on the ball it got so exposed. Even today there was no rain, but the wind is very, very strong, so it would make a good day of watching this afternoon.

Q. All-Star championship pairing with Darren who you obviously started the week with and ended the week playing alongside. Would you have any memories of when he won in 2011?

TOM McKIBBIN: A little bit. I think that was sort of the first Open that I'd watched on TV. A little bit of memories but not too many. But I definitely know that's the first one that I ever watched on TV was his one.

Q. Darren managed to make a few birdies. Did you learn anything from his ball flight or the way he managed himself around The Open or did you do your own thing?

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, not really. I've just finished, so I don't really know. He just hit a few closer shots really, that's all. The pins are quite tucked. You've got to hit a few nicer shots, and I didn't really hit too many that close today to really make too many birdies.

Q. Do you think you might need to tailor things a bit when you come to an Open course, maybe a lower ball flight? What will you take out of this that you need to change or tweak a little bit?

TOM McKIBBIN: Not much. I played -- I was inside the top 30 after two rounds and then yesterday was just really difficult in that weather.

I think it's just one of those weeks that you just have to be very on your game and hit a lot of high-quality shots, that's all. Just hitting more high-quality shots.

Q. What's next for you?

TOM McKIBBIN: The Czech Masters in about a month's time.

Q. (On a PGA Tour card possibility.)

TOM McKIBBIN: Yeah, obviously I'd like to get one and want to get one, but I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself to get one. If I play good golf, hopefully by the end of the year I can have one. But yeah, just trying to concentrate on playing good and hitting good shots. That's all I can do.