Rory McIlroy tried to convince the phenom not to join LIV Golf

After years of living in the middle of PGA Tour-LIV Golf Brawl that broke pro golf, Rory McIlroy is excited to “just focus on golf,” as he explained during his press conference at the Dubai Desert Classic on Wednesday.

But even if the four-time major leaguer is ready to move on, the rift isn’t over, the questions keep coming, the talented players keep joining the rookie league and he keeps getting pulled back into the fray.

But a player is said to be considering joining LIV is of particular interest to McIlroy: fellow Northern Ireland professional Tom McKibbin.

The 22-year-old rising star grew up playing the same course as McIlroy, Holywood Golf Club. Last season on the DP World Tour, McKibbin finished 18th in the Race to Dubai, earning a PGA Tour card in the process.

But McKibbin is now reportedly planning to give up his playing privileges in favor of LIV membership. Naturally, reporters had questions for McIlroy about all this in Dubai, and Rory had plenty of thoughts to share.

McIlroy revealed that when McKibben received the initial LIV offer, one of the first things he did was call McIlroy for his advice.

“I’ve known Tom (McKibbin) since he was 10 years old, 11 years old, and as soon as he got the offer, he called me,” McIlroy said Wednesday. “We had a really good conversation. And I talked to him a couple of times during December to kind of get a sense of, you know, what he was thinking, and obviously what – you know, yeah, basically what he was going to do. And all I could do is give my perspective.”

When it appeared that McKibbin was leaning toward giving up his Tour card for a spot at LIV, McIlroy began to advise him against it.

“I said, if I were you, I would make a different choice than what you are thinking of doing. I think, you know, working so hard to get your tour card in the United States, something he did, to reach that goal last year was a huge accomplishment.”

Among the other “sacrifices” McIlroy suggested McKibbin would give up if he joined LIV were “access to the majors” and a “potential Ryder Cup venue”.

McIlroy also made it clear that nothing was “official” yet and his advice was not offered in the form of criticism.

Instead, he praised the young Northern Irish star, saying: “I really like Tom as a person, as a player. I think he has a ton of potential.” He also said McKibbin was “very open to hearing my point of view” during their discussions.

However, McIlroy reiterated that given the same options, he would not make the decision to join LIV and would instead forge a career on the PGA Tour.

“If I was in his position and had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision,” McIlroy said. “But I’m not him. I am not in his shoes. He is a grown man at this point and can make his own decisions. All I can do is try to give him my perspective.”

And although McIlroy admitted he would be “disappointed” if McKibbin went to LIV, he revealed he would not stop the young pro from doing what he felt was best for his career.

“I’ve made it absolutely clear: I’m not going to stand in your way if you have to make the decision that you feel like you have to make for yourself,” McIlroy explained, before adding, “But at the same time, I feel like he’s taking give up a lot to gain not so much, you know.”

McIlroy, who has 18 total victories on the DP World Tour, has won the Dubai Desert Classic four times, including his first professional victory in 2009. He is also the two-time defending champion this week, having won in 2023 and 2024, which means he’s going for a rare three-peat.

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