Rory McIlroy isn’t hiding his disappointment over news that his fellow Northern Irishman and protégé Tom McKibbin is all but packing his bags for the LIV Golf Tour.
The 22-year-old, who was tipped as one of the future stars of European golf, looks set to turn his back on the PGA Tour just months after earning his card. Instead, he’s expected to take the fast lane to Saudi-funded LIV for a reported $5 million signing fee.
And Rory, to put it bluntly, isn’t thrilled.
“I’ve had a few chats with him,” McIlroy said this week in Dubai, where he’s preparing to defend his title at the Hero Desert Classic. “Personally, I’m a bit disappointed. But I also told him: I’m not going to stand in your way. If it’s what you feel you need to do, it’s your call.”
Still, the subtext is clear Rory doesn’t think it’s a wise move. Not now. Not like this.
To be fair, the money is serious. McKibbin is expected to receive a multi-million dollar payday just to sign on the dotted line. But McIlroy, who’s been as vocal as anyone about the long-term dangers of LIV’s structure, thinks there’s more to the game than guaranteed cheques and 54-hole no-cut events.
And there’s the rub. McKibbin, if he joins LIV, can kiss goodbye to world ranking points, Ryder Cup eligibility, and the chance to properly test himself week in, week out against the very best. Yes, he’s in The Open field this year, but what happens after that?
Rory’s not mincing words: “If I were in his shoes, I’d be making a different call.”
He has a point. McKibbin fought hard to earn his PGA Tour stripes. This time last year, Rory was one of the first to congratulate him when he sealed the deal in Dubai. The moment felt like a changing of the guard the local lad following in Rory’s footsteps. But now, that script may be getting torn up before the first act is finished.
There’s also a human angle here Rory was genuinely looking forward to seeing more of Tom on the PGA Tour. “I was excited to have him over in the States,” he said. “It’s a bit sad that I might not be seeing much of him now.”
And while McIlroy admits he’s lucky LIV didn’t exist when he was coming up “Who knows what might’ve happened?” he doesn’t seem to doubt that grinding through the ranks, playing the long game, was what made him who he is.
Now, McKibbin has his own decision to make. But if this week’s pro-am stroll around Dubai does turn out to be his last appearance on the DP World Tour, it’s a quiet ending to a journey that once promised something much louder.
