With the opening event of the 2025 LIV Golf season just around the corner, it is no surprise to see rumours concerning who will be joining the league ramp up – with one player now reportedly on his way to joining Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team.
It has been a quiet winter for LIV Golf. There has been no marquee signing on the level of Jon Rahm after the Spaniard’s jump from the PGA Tour in 2023.
Lee Chief-po earned his way onto the league through the LIV Golf Promotions event, while Yubin Jang has signed for Iron Heads and Frederik Kjettrup has joined Cleeks.
There are a handful of spots still to fill. Eugenio Chacarra has not yet been replaced by the Fireballs, while RangeGoats technically have two spots to fill – though Bubba Watson will surely remain as captain this late in the day.
Golf fans react as Tom McKibbin reportedly agrees to join LIV Golf
Stinger’s Branden Grace was relegated last year. But it would appear that Legion XIII have now filled their final spot.
It was reported on Tuesday that Tom McKibbin is joining LIV Golf and will replace Kieran Vincent.
The move has come as quick a shock, with one fan writing: ‘Didn’t [he] just get his pga tour card too? If so seems a daft move‘. Meanwhile, someone else suggested that it was a ‘weird’ decision from the youngster.
There has definitely been some criticism of McKibbin deciding to make the jump. One person did not hold back, stating: ‘Jeez couldn’t be more disgusted if the reports of Tom McKibbin’s switch to LIV are true. Regardless of the source of the money (I don’t like that at all) the lack of desire to compete at the top level is just pretty pathetic. Millions would love to have half his talent. Wasted’.
Elsewhere, there has been some suggestions that LIV have had a poor off-season, with McKibbin – while highly-rated – proving to be far from a household name. He was the last man through the door when it came to earning PGA Tour cards through the DP World Tour.
One fan claimed: ‘All offseason the talk was that LIV was gonna poach more big names. Tom McKibbin has a bright future in golf, but can’t help but laugh at this “big” signing‘. Another said: ‘Trying to move the needle with nobodies is a bold strategy.‘
There was also a point that it is hard to imagine that McKibbin will not have spoken to Rory McIlroy about the prospect of going. And given that talks between the PGA Tour and the PIF are ongoing, it is perhaps notable if McIlroy gave the move his approval, with one fan writing: ‘What’s interesting about this, is that Tom will have consulted with Rory a great deal about a potential move to LIV. And Rory must have given his blessing and advised Tom to do the deal. Now that is significant for all sorts of reasons.‘
The change LIV Golf have made this winter which may really reap big rewards in the future
There is still a chance that a more established name will make the move before the season starts. But LIV Golf have landed a number of talented younger players who they hope will have extremely high ceilings in the years to come.
There have been links with big names. Tony Finau reportedly agreed to join LIV, but he dismissed those rumours and has already featured at The Sentry this year. And perhaps LIV have targeted other big names who have snubbed them.
But in the long run, it makes a lot of sense to look at McKibbin and Kjettrup. They will be playing alongside Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau each week. That will help them become big names if they can compete. And that will leave LIV in a much stronger position when some of the ageing stars do step aside.
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