DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Rory McIlroy has expressed his dismay at fellow Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin’s prospect of joining LIV Golf and warned him not to take risks.
McIlroy confirmed on Wednesday that the 22-year-old McKibbin, who is his protégé, had received an offer from the circuit he defected to in Saudi Arabia and was wondering if he would take the plunge, just weeks after earning a card on the PGA Tour for the first time. .
McIlroy said he spoke “many times” with McKibbin about the possible switch and advised him against it.
“I really like Tom as a person, as a player,” said McIlroy, who was speaking at a press conference ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic that starts on Thursday. “I think you have a lot of potential. Look, I said to him, if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than what you’re thinking of making. I think, you know, working hard to get your travel card to the States … achieving that goal last year was a huge accomplishment.
“I think what he’s probably sacrificing and giving up, getting to the majors, a possible Ryder Cup spot, depends on, you know, how he’s going to play … if I was in his position and had his strength, which I think I was before, I wouldn’t have made that decision. “
McKibbin grew up playing at the same club — Holywood Golf Club — as McIlroy and was accepted by the four-time major after hearing he had earned his PGA Tour card, thanks to his points earned during the European Tour season. the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai in November.
McIlroy said “personally, for me, it would be a little disappointing” if McKibbin were to join LIV, but he wouldn’t stand in his way.
“All I can say is, there’s still a ton of money to be made on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour,” said McIlroy. “There is a lot of money in this game, and some would argue that there is a lot of money in the game because of the eyeballs we attract.
“So, yes, and, as I said, I think that for any possible benefit, I don’t think it’s worth sacrificing what he might lose.”
The diverse golf world is waiting to find out what the future holds as negotiations continue between the PGA Tour, the European tour and the officials who run LIV Golf.
Jon Rahm, who moved to LIV Golf in December 2023, said Tuesday he was excited about the future of golf, describing it as “a golden age … where the opportunities are endless.”
McIlroy said Rahm was wearing “brightly colored glasses.”
“What I can say from everything that has happened in this game in the last two or three years, I think what I might think is that the dominance of the American team may come back a little bit, not that. the game has never been global, but you know, it’s kind of trying to build on global opportunities,” McIlroy said. “So I think where we’re at, I think we’re in a good position to try to grow that part of it.
“There are amazing players, right? There are amazing players playing on all different tours and parts of the world and everything, which is great. But at the same time, it’s very broken and very fragmented.”
McIlroy is looking to win the Dubai Desert Classic for the third consecutive year.
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