Young golf star Tom McKibbin is making waves by joining Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team in LIV Golf, turning down a hard-earned PGA Tour card in the process.
The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland caught everyone’s attention last year when he won the Porsche European Open. Now he’s walking away from the traditional PGA Tour path to join the Saudi-backed league instead.
He’s landed a pretty sweet deal, joining one of LIV’s strongest teams. Legion XIII, led by golf superstar Jon Rahm, won four tournaments last year and finished second overall in the standings. McKibbin will team up with Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt.
It’s a bold move that’s raised some eyebrows in the golf world.
Here’s where it gets interesting: McKibbin grew up playing at the same golf club as Rory McIlroy in Belfast. McIlroy, who’s been like a mentor to the young player, actually tried to talk him out of joining LIV Golf.
“I really like Tom as a person, as a player,” McIlroy said recently in Dubai. “I think he’s got a ton of potential.”
McIlroy didn’t hold back about his concerns. “I said to him, if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice,” he explained. “Working so hard to get your tour card in the States… that was a big achievement.”
The golf legend worried about what McKibbin might be giving up – chances to play in majors, maybe even a shot at the Ryder Cup down the line.
McKibbin is part of LIV’s youth movement for 2025. The league has also signed other young talents like Yubin Jang and Luis Masaveu (both 22) and Frederik Kjettrup (25).
He’s replacing Kieran Vincent on the team, and his addition means all 13 LIV Golf teams are now set for the season. The league will keep Chieh-po Lee and Anthony Kim as backup players to maintain their 54-player tournament format.
Fans won’t have to wait long to see McKibbin in action – he’ll make his LIV Golf debut next week in Jeddah as the 2025 season kicks off.
