Rory McIlroy has expressed his disappointment at fellow Northern Irishman and former coach Tom McKibbin's impending move to LIV Golf. “I don't think it's worth the sacrifice,” McIlroy said of the 22-year-old's upcoming move.
McIlroy has been close with McKibbin since the latter burst onto the scene as an exciting child talent. Last November, McKibbin's rise continued as he earned a 2025 PGA Tour card. However, it appears McKibbin will not take on that membership. He has been targeted by Jon Rahm's LIV team and is reportedly set to move to the Saudi-backed circuit for $5 million plus an additional year's guarantee. This number looks small compared to the numbers given to others for exchanging traditional tours to LIV.
“As soon as he got the offer, he called me,” McIlroy explained. “We had a really good conversation and I talked to him many times throughout December to get a feel for what he was thinking and basically what he was going to do. I can do it. is just to convey my point of view.
“I really like Tom as a person and as a player. I think he has a lot of potential. I said to him, 'If I were in your shoes, what would you be thinking of doing? “I would make a different choice.''
“He worked hard to get a card in America and what he did last year to achieve that goal was a huge accomplishment. I think what you're potentially sacrificing and giving up… I don't think anything is official yet, but if I were in his position and had his potential, I would I don't think I would have made such a decision before.
“But I'm not him. I'm not in his position. He's an adult at this point and can make his own decisions. All I can do is tell him my point of view. is.
“Personally, I'd be a little disappointed if that happened, but I made it clear and clear: 'If you feel like you need to make a decision for yourself, I'm not going to stand in your way. 'But at the same time, I feel like he's giving up a lot for not getting much benefit.'
It seems odd that McKibbin would go against McIlroy's guidance, given the four-time major champion's influence so far. Both are competing in this week's Desert Classic in Dubai, with McIlroy aiming for his third straight victory.
Rahm will be making his first appearance at the Emirates Club. Confirmation of Mr McKibbin's domain change should arrive before the start of the LIV season in Riyadh next month.
“He's got to make his own decisions and when he makes those decisions, no matter how they turn out, I'll always be a fan of his,” McIlroy added. “I'm always going to try to help him in every way I can. Whatever path he chooses, he's going to live with it and that's totally fine.
“I think we all understand his potential and definitely believe he can be a top 10 player in the world. But even if he makes a different decision, I think we all know his potential for the next few years.” It's clear his rankings don't show that.
“Nobody knows exactly how much he's going to get paid. What I'm saying is, there's still a lot of money to be made on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. There's so much money in the game. Some would argue that there is too much money in the game for the eyeballs we attract.As I said, he could give up whatever benefit he could get. I don't think it's worth sacrificing anything sexual.”
