Rory McIlroy has given his opinion on fellow Northern Irishman, Tom McKibbin, moving to LIV Golf for $5 million.
Rory McIlroy Urges Tom McKibbin To Decline $5M LIV Golf Move
Tom McKibbin has been mentored by McIlroy for several years, with the veteran golf star watching McKibbin perform superbly at Holywood Golf Club in Belfastt.
However, the young Northern Irishman is set to move over to LIV Golf in a deal that will earn the 22-year-old $5m across two years.
McKibbin would be joining Jon Rahm’s Legion III team and this would mean that he loses his 2025 PGA Tour Card which he earned by performing well at the DP World Tour Race to Dubai in 2024.
This move would also make his chances of playing for Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup extremely slim and McIlroy had his say on the matter in a recent interview.
McIlroy said: “Yeah, look, I have known Tom since he was 10 years old, 11 years old, and as soon as he got the offer, he rang me.
“I just landed in New Zealand. 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, you know, what he was thinking and basically what he was going to do. And 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. Look, I said to him, if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.
“Working so hard to get your Tour card in the States, something that he did, to achieve that goal last year was a big achievement. I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, a potential Ryder Cup spot is not worth it.”
McIlroy will be gearing up for a big year in 2025, as he is one of the favourites on UK betting sites to win several tournaments – including the Dubai Dessert Classic which is set to be played between Jan 15th-19th.
