McKibbin confirms switch to LIV Golf

The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland has made a lucrative move by moving Tom McKibbin to LIV Golf.

Early in January, McKibbin’s announcement to move to the Saudi-funded circuit broke out. He initially declined to address the matter at his subsequent two events, but his widely anticipated decision has now been confirmed.

It indicates that he has chosen to disregard Rory McIlroy, a compatriot who has served as his mentor, and the PGA Tour card he obtained in November.

McKibbin is currently ranked 106th in the world, nine spots below where he was previously ranked.

He will join former world no. 1 Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII LIV golf team, which also includes Tyrrell Hatton, England’s most recent Dubai Desert Classic winner, on Wednesday.

The circuit’s first event of the season starts in Riyadh on 6 February.

Rahm has dropped to 34th place in the world rankings because LIV events don’t carry world ranking points. McKibbin’s absence is also likely, given that he won’t be able to play on the PGA Tour and that he will only occasionally play on the DP World Tour.

The PGA Tour’s protracted negotiations with LIV’s backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), are aimed at healing the split in world golf.

McKibbin joins a circuit that includes several other major winners, including 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, who is the second player from Northern Ireland to switch to LIV Golf.

Those include current US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, plus Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Sergio Garcia.

The Holywood golfer has qualified for this year’s Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Portrush.

McKibbin won his first DP World Tour competition at the Porsche European Open in Germany in June 2023. He made the transition to professional in April 2021. He also lost in a play-off at last year’s Italian Open.

Even though he was a member of the Great Britain &amp, Ireland team at the recent Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, Luke Donald, the Europe skipper, looked at player options for the biennial match against the USA, he may not be able to secure a Ryder Cup debut this year.

Former world number one McIlroy said he would find it “a little disappointing” if McKibbin did indeed join LIV two weeks ago.

“If I were in his position, which I think I have been before, and had his potential I wouldn’t make that decision”, McIlroy said.

“But I’m not him. I’m not in his shoes. He’s a grown man at this point and can make his own decisions”.

By Iain Carter, BBC golf correspondent

This is a move that has surprised many observers, including Rory McIlroy – who has served as a mentor throughout McKibbin’s fledgling career.

The 22-year-old is regarded as one of the game’s best young prospects because he has already won the DP World Tour and is successful enough to win PGA Tour rights this year.

McIlroy doesn’t believe that moving to LIV is “worth the sacrifice” of missing out on a US circuit performance against the best in the world.

Many people think the lucrative LIV Tour, with its no-cost tournaments and guaranteed prize money, is not the place where players can compete for the best.

But some of the Saudi-funded stars have prospered, most notably Tyrrell Hatton – the recent winner of the Dubai Desert Classic.

McKibbin’s quest for a Ryder Cup debut this September won’t be helped by switching to a tour with no world ranking points, even though McKibbin has already qualified for the Royal Portrush Open in 2025.

If he violates the terms of his formal DPWT release and pays fines and suspensions for playing LIV events, he will be suspended from the PGA Tour. He may continue to play for the DP World Tour.