Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin signs with LIV Golf
Tom McKibbin has officially signed for LIV Golf and joined Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team.
Two-time major winner Rahm confirmed the expected move with a brief post on social media.
“Tom McKibbin, welcome to the team, let’s go,” Rahm said with a clenched-fist celebration as he confirmed McKibbin will be joining him, Tyrrell Hatton and American Caleb Surratt on the Saudi-funded breakaway.
McKibbin will make his debut when the LIV Golf League begins its fourth season in Riyadh next week.
The 22-year-old honed his game at the same club in Northern Ireland as Rory McIlroy at Holywood Golf Club in Co Down but has ignored McIlroy’s view that the move to LIV Golf is “not worth the sacrifice”.
McKibbin, who shared a warm embrace with McIlroy after securing a PGA Tour card at the end of last season, rang the four-time major winner for advice about the lucrative switch.
McIlroy said: “There is so much money in the game and some would argue too much money in the game for the eyeballs that we attract.
“For whatever the benefit may be, I don’t think it’s worth the sacrifice to what he’s potentially going to give up.
“As soon as he got the offer, he rang me. “We had a really good conversation, and I talked to him multiple times over the course of December to sort of get a feel for what he was thinking and basically what he was going to do.
"All I could do is give my perspective. I really like Tom as a person, as a player. I think he’s got a ton of potential.
"If I were in his position, which I think I have been before, and had his potential I wouldn't make that decision.
"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."
McIlroy added that he would continue to be a "fan" of the 22-year-old and "help him in whatever way I can".
McKibbin is 106th in the world rankings, which is nine positions below the highest position he has held.
He becomes the second player from Northern Ireland to make the switch to LIV Golf after 2010 US Open winner Graeme McDowell.
McKibbin has qualified for this year's 153rd Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Portrush in July.
His decision to join LIV could hit his hopes of securing a Ryder Cup debut this season, even though he was part of the Great Britain & Ireland team at the recent Team Cup in Abu Dhabi that was monitored by Team Europe captain Luke Donald as he weighs up his options for the biennial match with the USA at Bethpage in New York from September 26-28.