NORTHERN IRELAND GOLFER Tom McKibbin is set to join the Saudi-backed LIV Tour, according to multiple reports today.
Spanish outlet Ten-Golf reported earlier today that McKibbin is set to move to the LIV Tour and join the Legion XIII team captained by Jon Rahm. BBC NI have subsequently reported that McKibbin is indeed making the move.
McKibbin’s manager Mitchell Tweedie did not respond to a request from The 42 by the time of publication.
McKibbin is, like Rory McIlroy, a product of Holywood Golf Club. The highly-rated 22-year-old spent two impressive years on the DP World Tour, securing a PGA Tour card at the Tour’s final event last November. At the time, McKibbin spoke of his excitement of joining McIlroy on the PGA Tour from 2025.
Today’s reports now suggest McKibbin will swap his opportunities on the PGA Tour for the chance to team up with Rahm on the LIV Tour instead. Speculation has been rife for weeks as to who would fill the vacant slot on Rahm’s Legion XIII team, available since Kieran Vincent was relegated from the Tour on foot of his performances last year. Vincent has since returned to the DP World Tour.
McKibbin would join Rahm, European Ryder Cup player Tyrrell Hatton and Caleb Surratt of the USA on Legion XIII. The LIV Tour begins in Saudi Arabia on 6 February.
As much as I dislike LIV, this is the smart move, will earn a big payday for moving and will probably end up playing PGA tour events before the end of the year anyway, may as well take the big money on offer now, while he can.
@Kingshu: He secured his PGA card for 2025 so it’s a bit surprising to see him go to LIV. He’ll still play some DPWT events once he pays his fine. Moving to LIV will help his bank balance but it won’t necessarily be good for his golf game.
@mcdb06: He’ll be playing PGA tour events before the years out. PGA/LIV merger for $1billion was supposed to be completed by end of 2024, but its not really a surprise its run over, but very likely will be competed long before the first Major. So he won’t miss much of the PGA tour, and will have a big pile of cash instead.
@Kingshu: To be fair they’ve been saying they’ll have a merger deal sorted soon for the last 18 months but it keeps dragging on and on. I’d be surprised if they’ve anything finalised soon.
@Kingshu: terrible move for him. Can’t see merger ever happening.
@mcdb06: . Exactly. Just look at Adrian Meronk.
@Richard Ford: And Thomas Pieters
Fair play to him.
Aw for heavens sake Thomas
In doing so he will be denying another young rookie a place on the DP world tour.