Harrington surprised at McKibbin’s LIV move: ‘You’re going to make double the money on LIV, but you’re not learning anything’

Tom McKibbin with the 2023 Irish Golf Writers’ Association Professional of the Year Award. McKibbin also won the award in 2024.

Padraig Harrington has questioned Tom McKibbin’s expected move to LIV Golf and insists the Holywood star would be “better off learning to compete and win more in Europe”.

Speaking to bunkered.co.uk ahead of his 13th appearance in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the former Ryder Cup skipper (53) expressed his surprise that the Holywood star is making a move that would make it more difficult to qualify for the clash with the USA in September.

McKibbin is understood to be on the verge of announcing a surprise move to Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team just two months after expressing his “excitement” at winning his PGA Tour card.

“Tom is in a great position, he’s progressed very nicely,” Harrington told the magazine. “He’s done what he needs to have done. Got through the Challenge Tour, won on (the DP World) Tour. Going very nicely. It’s an interesting one. 

“He was set to go to the US  and everybody goes. He’s young and I think he still would have been better off learning to compete and win more in Europe and take a few starts in the States. 

“If he stays focused in Europe for a few years he would become a prolific winner – and that would be nice at that stage.

“He’s gone to LIV so the question is with the smaller fields, no cut, would he get into contention more? If he gets into contention more its a good move. 

“If he ends up in the middle of the pack, it’s not a good move, but nor would the PGA Tour have been a good move if he’s finishing 25th – 25th on the PGA Tour or 15th in LIV – you’re going to make double the money on LIV, but you’re not learning anything. 

“Wherever he is, he’s got to be competing to win. I hope he’s gone to LIV with the intention that it's a smaller field.”

Rahm did not shoot down reports that McKibbin’s move is a done deal, telling reporters in Dubai today that the Antrim man (22) is “a fantastic player, and the possibilities for him are endless whenever he decides to do.”

If Rahm fails to qualify automatically for Bethpage, he will likely earn a Ryder Cup pick.

But Harrington fears that McKibbin, who has only qualified for The Open so far, will struggle to make the Ryder Cup team.

“The surprise is it makes it harder to make the Ryder Cup team and play in the majors,” Harrington said. “He will tell you that’s his goal. The upside is if he gets in contention more often, but it still makes it harder. 

“At his age, he might be thinking the money is very attractive, but to be honest, he’s on a nice progression; it won’t make a difference to him. I don’t think it’s life-changing money for him. 

“If you were an amateur with no status, jump at it. It guarantees your future. His future was pretty guaranteed anyway. 

“It’s all about the reasoning behind it. If he is going, is he going because he thinks he’s getting more chances to win? If that’s the case – great, but the downside is it’s going to make it harder to make the Ryder Cup team and play in the majors.

“In his progression, that’s what we were looking at. More wins, Ryder Cup, playing majors, competing in majors. That certainly stalls that. 

“If he goes and wins on LIV, he could get picked for the Ryder Cup side. As long as he plays well and wins. If you play good golf, it takes care of itself. But he seemed to be on a nice progression.”