LIV Golf has just confirmed a brand new signing in time for the 2025 season, with Tom McKibbin joining Legion XIII.
Rory McIlroy loved watching McKibbin progress, but the latter has now left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, which returns in February.
Justin Rose knew of McKibbin’s potential LIV Golf move, which has now been confirmed by the rival tour of the PGA Tour.
The new season gets underway in Riyadh on February 6, with events in Adelaide and Hong Kong following in later February and March respectively.
Other tournaments throughout the season include Miami, Singapore and Dallas, with the Team Championship scheduled for Michigan in August.
Jon Rahm and Rick Shiels welcome Tom McKibbin to LIV Golf’s Legion XIII
McKibbin will team up with former world number one Jon Rahm, with the Legion XIII captain having won the Individual Championship last season.
And the Spaniard was among those welcoming the Northern Irishman to the team, with Rahm saying on Instagram: “Tom McKibbin, welcome to the team. Go!”
READ MORE: Who is Jon Rahm? Everything you need to know about the $500m LIV Golf superstar
Rival teams Majesticks GC and Torque GC also welcomed the newcomer, as did Rick Shiels, who has just signed a strategic partnership with LIV Golf.
“Awesome! Looking forward to seeing you next week,” wrote Shiels, whose deal represents the Saudi-backed league’s first official collaboration with a major content creator.
Also reacting to the new team member was another teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who shared the move on X and tagged McKibbin, simply writing: “Welcome.”
Tom McKibbin certain to have upset PGA Tour with LIV Golf defection
McKibbin is by no means the most high-profile player to have left the PGA Tour for pastures new on the LIV Golf tour.
But his switch is undoubtedly significant given that not only was he a rising star, but the fact that he had just secured a playing card for the 2025 season.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy has got it all wrong and needs to wake up to reality on the PGA Tour right now
It remains to be seen exactly why he has made the switch, with McKibbin clearly hoping that it will progress his career.
But it does, of course, mean his world ranking of 106th is likely going to worsen, with LIV event not carrying world ranking points.
His new teammate Rahm currently occupies 37th spot, although Hatton does find himself among the top 10.
The Englishman, who won the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour earlier this month, is ranked eighth.
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