The career of Tom McKibbin, a young pro born in Belfast 22 years ago, is definitely on the rise.
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In 2021 he turned professional, making his debut at the Tenerife Open.
Tom McKibbin, bio
In 2022 he played on the Challenge Tour, closing the season in tenth place in the ranking and earning a card for the 2023 season of the major Tour.
In June 2023 he achieved his first victory on the DP World Tour, at the Porsche European Open, which McKIbbin won ahead of Julien Guerrier and Maximilian Kieffer.
In 2024 he was Marcel Siem's runner-up at our Open played in Cervia, the best moment of his season, which allowed him to close the Race to Dubai in eighteenth place and earn one of the 10 cards for the PGA Tour, as foreseen by the agreements linked to the Strategic Alliance.
You might think that, at this point, a 22-year-old could, rightly, be satisfied with the results achieved, having room for improvement.
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But for Tom McKibbin it was not like that.
Immediately after taking part in the Team Cup, in the victorious GB & Ireland team, led by Justin Rose, the Northern Irishman signed a multi-year deal with Jon Rahm's Legion XIII.
McKibbin's choice in favor of LIV Golf has attracted criticism from two players who come from his own island.
Rory MCIlroy, who is a "fellow countryman" of the Belfast boy, has no doubts.
"I've known Tom since he was 10, and so, as soon as he received the offer, he called me"
"I really like him as a person and as a player, I think he has great potential"
"I told him: 'If I were in your place I would make a different choice to the one you intend to make".
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I would say that no one would have expected anything different from the man who was the champion of the PGA Tour in the controversy with LIV Golf.
Padraig Harrington, Captain of Team Europe at Whistling Straits, is very straightforward in his thoughts.
He did what he had to do
He went from the Challenge Tour, he won on the DP World Tour. He performed very well, he is an interesting guy
He is young, and I think it would have been better for his preparation to compete and win in Europe, where he would have become a very prolific winner, and play some tournaments in the States
But he went to LIV, and so the question is whether with a reduced field and the lack of the cut he will continue to be competitive
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If he continues to be, then it is a good choice.
What is certain is that Jon Rahm made a good purchase, in light of McKIbbins top ten in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (won by Tyrrell Hatton, Editors note).
McKibbin is not the only youngster who has chosen LIV Golf for 2025.
To name a few, he will find Yubin Jang, a 22-year-old Korean winner of the Order of Merit of the Korean Tour in 2024, and Luis Masaveu, a 22-year-old Spaniard with a brilliant amateur career (in 2024 semi-finalist at the U.S. Amateur and low amateur at the Spanish Open).
