Tom McKibbin has defended his decision to join LIV Golf, saying the advice from Rory McIlroy that he risked missing out on majors and the Ryder Cup was not enough to deter him. The 22-year-old Northern Irishman signed a three-year contract worth an estimated €4.8 million ($5 million) with Jon Rahm's Legion XIII team.
McKibbin, who finished 18th in the 2024 Race to Dubai and secured dual membership of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, will make his LIV debut at the season-opening event in Riyadh on Thursday. The breakaway league offers no world ranking points and features 54 players competing over three rounds for $25 million each week.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, McKibbin said the opportunity to play alongside top players like Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Caleb Surratt was a major factor. 'I've watched this for the last couple years since it started, and it's something that I've really liked to watch, something very different,' he said.
McIlroy had previously warned McKibbin that joining LIV could hamper his career, particularly after earning a PGA Tour card. But McKibbin said he was not concerned about missing majors or the Ryder Cup, as he had not yet qualified for those events. 'I'm not in those majors anyway at the minute, so it really didn't bother me too much,' he added.
