MCKIBBIN: I'D LIV TO FINISH WITH FLOURISH

Tom keen to cap impressive campaign

- By Michael Scully

Rory McIlroy got work done early on the Palmer North Course as the sun shone down with an unseasonable heat in it.

What was perhaps more surprising was that there was barely a spectator watching on from behind the ropes as Mcllroy looked very calm and relaxed on his return to the venue where he won the Irish Open in 2016.

His Ryder Cup teammates, meanwhile, had decamped to Portmarnock for the day as DP World Tour pros played in a corporate Pro-Am on the tournament course.

Tom McKibbin, another graduate of Holywood GC, was also at work on the famous Straffan track, fresh from his maiden season as a LIV golfer.

He played nine holes in the morning before stopping at the putting green to discuss his year and his hopes of getting back into the world’s top 100 — and into some of the Majors next year.

It was a case of making hay while the sun shines; bad weather is set to roll in today and hang around on Thursday, when the tournament kicks off.

This will be the 22-year-old's fourth Irish Open — his second at the K Club — and he is back home after collecting a cool €4m for the season on the Saudi-backed rebel tour.

It has been nine months since he caused a sensation by turning down a PGA Tour card to join Jon Rahm's Legion XIII team.

“I want to come back here and take from what I've learned and how I played, really try and make a good dent in the next four or five events over here, just try and get another win.