LIV Golf may land one of the bright young stars on the DP World Tour.
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Whether Tom McKibbin will be the newest member of LIV Golf, the 22-year-old Northern Irishman is not saying.
Speaking on Wednesday in Golf Digest Middle East at the DP World Tour Team Cup, McKibbin would neither confirm nor deny his rumored move to be the newest member of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII squadreplacing the relegated Kieran Vincent.
“I’m not going to make any comments this week out of respect for Justin (Rose) and Luke (Donald) and this tournament,” McKibbin said. “It’s a team event so I’m just trying to do my best for the team and see how many points I can get.”
McKibbin joins LIV, who the fourth season begins next month, it would be a surprise move as the 22-year-old secured his PGA Tour card by just 10.5 Race To Dubai Points with a closing birdie at the DP Tour World Championship.
“Yeah, it would be great to be there on the PGA Tour, a tour I’ve been looking at for a long time, and it’s going to be great out there and playing golf,” McKibbin said in Dubai at the time.
McKibbin, who is currently ranked 110th in the world, would lose the PGA Tour card he just earned if he jumped at LIV.
The move, if it happens, would hit Rory McIlroy, whom McKibbin has said he considers his mentor. McKibbin is from the same golf club (Holywood Golf Club) as McIlory. The world No. 3 made sure to seek out McKibbin and congratulate him on earning his PGA Tour card after the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, which McIlroy won.
“I was looking at the leaderboard and I saw that Tom got into the top 10, and I thought okay, well, and when I was coming off the last one, I didn’t see his name and I see it before I signed the card and he congratulated, and I didn’t want to ask – I said, ‘Yes or no?’ And he said, ‘Yeah,'” McIlroy said.
“I am happy for him. That was a massive goal for him to get one of those ten cards and go play in America. Very happy for him… I think Europe has a lot of good young players and that definitely bodes well for the future of European golf for the Ryder Cups.”
McKibbin’s jump to LIV is still just a rumour, but the 22-year-old’s unwillingness to brush them off suggests there’s a fire in this smoke.
While Rahm, Tyrell Hatton and Caleb Surratt are still searching for (or at least waiting to announce) the final member of their team, other LIV golf franchises have recently announced additions as the season approaches. Branden Grace has rejoined Stinger, Frederik Kjettrup signed with Cleeks and Ben Campbell joined RangeGoats. Bubba Watson will also return as the captain of the RangeGoats.
