When Tom McKibbin had a career-defining decision to make, he called Rory McIlroy.
McKibbin, who grew up at the same club McIlroy did in Holywood, Northern Ireland, had developed a relationship with the world No. 2. When McKibbin earned his PGA Tour card last November at the DP World Tour Championship, McIlroy was waiting to celebrate with his protege.
He was also disappointed when McKibbin signed with LIV Golf this spring, forgoing PGA Tour membership to join the Saudi-backed circuit.
“I really like Tom as a person, as a player. I think he’s got a ton of potential,” McIlroy said in January. “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. I think working so hard to get your (PGA) 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, potential Ryder Cup spot, depending on, you know, how he would play, it just wouldn’t have been — you know, depending — look, I don’t think anything is official yet. But if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, 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. All I can do is try to give him my perspective.”
McKibbin was asked about McIlroy’s comments for the first time Thursday, ahead of LIV Golf’s third event of 2025 in Hong Kong. While he didn’t disclose what he and McIlroy talked about specifically, he said his instincts is what pushed him to sign with LIV Golf, where he plays on Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
“Obviously I respect Rory a lot, and I’ve been able to be very close to him the last four, five, six years and spend a lot of time with him,” McKibbin said. “Obviously I spoke to him when the opportunity came around, and we had a couple of conversations. But ultimately, as I just said before, I just had a really good gut feeling about this, and it was something that excited me a lot. It was something different for me. I sort felt it was a good decision for me and something that I had to go with my feeling, and only I can sort of make my own decisions.”
McKibbin began his LIV experience with a T-15 under the lights in Riyadh before a T-7 in Adelaide. He, along with Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, comprise by far the best LIV trio on paper, and Legion XIII won the season-opening event and placed second in Adelaide. It’s likely McKibbin will have plenty of podium time on LIV Golf, which has helped him put his decision behind and focus on the future.
“It’s something that I’m very happy I made,” McKibbin said. “I’ve really enjoyed the last couple of weeks, and I think it’s going to be a great thing for me and the whole thing going forward for the future.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tom McKibbin signed with LIV Golf because ‘a really good gut feeling’
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