Rory McIlroy or DP World Tour?
Who’s likely to be more shocked if new Holywood sensation Tom McKibbion joins LIV Golf?
News the 22-year-old McKibbin could be joining Jon Rahm’s Legion X111 side has hit the golfing news websites like a rocket and with the Northern Irishman to replace South African Scott Vincent.
McKibbin is making his 2025 season debut in this week’s DP World Tour Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, and in the latest version of what used to be the Seve Trophy and used a guide for hopeful Ryder Cup selection.
McKibbin will then head to the PGA Tour after earning full 2025 membership by finishing last season among the top-10 on the Race to Dubai money list.
But that may all change if news of McKibbin jumping ship and heading over into the ranks of LIV Golf is true.
Tom McKibbin tells Rory McIlroy that he’ll be joining him on the PGA TOUR
The 21-year-old claimed the final dual membership spot.#DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/c6cUFdBfvm
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 17, 2024
McKibbin was quickly dubbed ‘the next McIlroy’ bursting onto the DP World Tour in 2023 and capturing a maiden Tour title in just his 18th event with success in Germany at the Porsche European Open to eventually finish 44th on the Race to Dubai.
Last year, McKibbon posted nine top-10s to end the year 18th on the money list and good enough to earn full 2025 PGA Tour membership.
There was the warm sight at the close of last November’s DP World Tour Championship with McKibbon waiting by the 18th green not only to congratulate McIlroy on a sixth DP World No. 1 title but then with McIlroy embracing his Northern Ireland compatriot in learning McKibbin had secured 2025 PGA Tour status.
“Over the moon for Tom”, said McIlroy. “I was looking at the leaderboard and I saw Tom got in the top 10 and I thought okay, good.
“When I was walking off the last, I didn’t see his name and I see him before I signed my card and he was congratulating me, and I didn’t want to ask — I said, ‘Yay or nay?’ And he said, ‘Yes.’ I’m happy for him. That was a massive goal for him was to get one of those ten cards and go play in America. Super happy for him.”
McKibbon is not only in the field to contest this week’s Team Cup, and where he will be in the same GB & I team as Tyrrell Hatton and with both to join Legends X111 captain Rahm in next week’s $9m Hero Dubai Desert Classic at the host Emirates course.
Also teeing-up in Dubai will be McIlroy, the defending champ.
While Rahm is among the entries for the opening LIV event of the year and that is the February 6th commencing tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
