Tom McKibbin background, net worth boost and Rory McIlroy snub reason

Irish Daily Mirror

17-05-2025

Tom McKibbin fared best of the Irish at Quail Hollow after the opening two rounds of the US PGA Championship.
Holywood pair McKibbin and Rory McIlroy are the only two of the Irish quintet to make the cut in North Carlolina as Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Seamus Power all missed it.
McKibbin is seven shots behind Jhonattan Vegas after adding a second round 71 to his opening round 70. Starting on the tenth hole on Friday, the 22-year-old was one-under for the majority on his round after a birdie on the par-five 15th, but finished on level par for the day after a bogey on the par-four 9th, his final hole for the day.
McKibbin has made a remarkable start to his LIV Golf career, having declined an offer from the PGA Tour earlier this year.
The 22 year old, who honed his skills at Holywood Golf Club alongside McIlroy, earned his PGA card at the end of 2024 after a stellar performance on the DP World Tour. However, instead of joining McIlroy on the prestigious PGA Tour, he opted to join Jon Rahm's Legion XIII under the LIV banner.
This choice seems to have paid off for McKibbin, as he's had an excellent start on the circuit so far. He finished T15 in LIV's first event of the year in Riyadh, shooting an overall score of 10-under-par, and then impressed with a T7 finish in Adelaide in February at six-under.
Meanwhile, Legion XIII – which includes McKibbin, Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt – won the team title in Riyadh, before finishing second overall in Adelaide.
But what is the professional golfer's net worth, who is his caddie, and what does McIlroy think about him playing under the LIV banner that the four-time major winner once strongly opposed?
Here, the Irish Mirror breaks it down....
McKibbin has raked in over €1.8million from the LIV Golf series in 2025 alone, securing €953,600 for his impressive showing in Riyadh and an additional €435,000 with €1.38m split across the team from Adelaide, reports Belfast Live.r.
While concrete numbers on McKibbin's total fortune remain elusive, it's safe to say that his earnings from LIV Golf combined with DP World Tour cash have comfortably placed him in the millionaire's club.
In terms of personnel changes, McKibbin made waves earlier last year when he swapped out Chris Selfridge for seasoned caddy David McNeilly in February 2023. McNeilly brought a wealth of expertise to the table after years of working with some of the biggest names in golf, including Nick Faldo.
Despite this, following a T66 stint at the 2024 Open, McKibbin opted for another change on the fairways, bringing in his friend Ricky McCormick to replace McNeilly. Opening up about the switch, McKibbin said: "Yeah, just sort of needed to switch it up a little bit.
"He's someone who knows my game quite well, and he's caddied for me before, so I'm very comfortable with him, and he does a good job for me." McKibbin's decision proved beneficial as he secured his PGA Tour card at the end of the 2024 season, thanks to impressive performances on the DP World Tour. However, he ultimately chose to give up the card to join the LIV Golf league.
McIlroy had shown enthusiasm when McKibbin initially obtained his PGA Tour card in 2024, looking forward to what the future held for his fellow golfer. Recalling the moment McKibbin achieved his card, McIlroy said: "I was looking at the leaderboard and I saw Tom got in the top 10 and I thought okay, good.
"When I was walking off the last, I didn't see his name and I see him before I signed my card and he was congratulating me, and I didn't want to ask I said, 'yay or nay?' And he said, 'yes.' I'm happy for him. That was a massive goal for him was to get one of those 10 cards and go play in America. Super happy for him."
However, McKibbin chose to sign with LIV Golf instead of the PGA Tour. McIlroy had offered his advice before the decision, saying in January: "I think he's got a ton of potential. I said to him, 'if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you're thinking of making'.
"Working so hard to get your tour card in the States, something that he did, to achieve that goal last year was a big achievement. I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot, if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn't make that decision."
Despite McIlroy's advice, McKibbin made his choice clear in February, saying: "It was definitely in my mind but to me I wasn't in any of [the majors or Ryder Cup] anyway. The opportunity to play with these guys out here more often and more consistently was definitely a huge factor.
"I'm not in those majors anyway at the minute so that really didn't bother me too much. Being young and 22 I've watched this last couple years since [LIV Golf] started. It's something I really like to watch. Something very different. It appeals to more people my age.
"The opportunity to learn from some of the best players in the world week in, week out is something that appealed very nicely to me. I liked the whole concept of everything."