Rory McIlroy said he advised good friend and fellow countryman Tom McKibbin against bolting for LIV Golf because he didn’t believe the sacrifice, at this stage of his career, was worth it.
McKibbin, an up-and-coming 22-year-old from Northern Ireland who earned his PGA Tour card for this season via the DP World Tour, is reportedly set to join Jon Rahm’s LIV team when the league resumes next month in Saudi Arabia.
McIlroy said he received a call from McKibbin, whom he has known for more than a decade, a few months ago when his protégé first received the offer. They have spoken repeatedly as McKibbin weighed his decision.
“I said to him, ‘If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making,’” McIlroy told reporters Wednesday at the Dubai Desert Classic, where he is making his 2025 debut.
“Working so hard to get your Tour card in the States, to achieve that goal last year was a big achievement. I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot depending on how he would play … if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision.
“Personally, for me, it would be a little disappointing if it were to happen but again, I made it perfectly clear: I’m not going to stand in your way if you need to make the decision you feel like you need to make for yourself. But at the same time, I feel like he’s giving up a lot to not really benefit that much.”
McKibbin has not yet addressed the reports, saying last week at the Team Cup that he was focused on the event. The LIV season doesn’t begin until Feb. 6.
It’s unclear how much McKibbin, a one-time DP World Tour winner ranked 114th in the world, would potentially bank in a LIV contract. He earned his Tour card by finishing among the top 10 points earners on the season-ending Race to Dubai standings.
Said McIlroy, “There is still a ton of money to be made on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. There is so much money in the game, and some would argue too much money in the game for the eyeballs that we attract. But again, I think that for whatever the benefit may be, I don’t think it’s worth the sacrifice to what he’s potentially going to give up.”
