McIlroy tells McKibbin “if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice” on LIV move

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a stroke from the No. 4 tee during the second round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 12, 2024.

Rory McIlroy has urged Tom McKibbin to “make a different choice” and turn down the chance to go to LIV Golf for what's believed to be in the region of $8 million.

The world number three revealed ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic that he has spoken to his Holywood clubman (22) and told him that if he was in the same position, he would make a different choice.

“I have known Tom since he was 10 years old, 11 years old, and as soon as he got the offer, he rang me,” McIlroy revealed.  

“I just landed in New Zealand. We had a really good conversation. And I talked to him multiple times over the course of December to sort of get a feel for, you know, what he was thinking, and obviously what -- you know, yeah, basically what he was going to do. And all I could do is give my perspective.

“I really like Tom as a person, as a player. I think he's got a ton of potential. Look, I said to him, if I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you're thinking of making.”

McKibbin won in his rookie season on the DP World Tour in 2023 and earned his PGA TOUR card last year to put himself in position to challenge for a Ryder Cup spot.

But with Jon Rahm believed to have convinced McKibbin to join his Legion XIII team as a replacement for Kieran Vincent, McIlroy says he won’t stand in his way.

“I think, you know, 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,” McIlroy told reporters in Dubai, where he is going for his fifth win.

“I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot, depending on, you know, how he would play, it just wouldn't have been -- you know, depending -- look, I don't think anything is official yet.

“But if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn't make that decision.

“But I'm not him. I'm not in his shoes. He's a grown man at this point and can make his own decisions. All I can do is try to give him my perspective.”

McIlroy has been a mentor for McKibbin throughout his career and while he made no secret of the fact that losing his talent to LIV Golf would be a blow, he is not going to stand in his way.

“Personally for me it would be a little disappointing if it were to happen,| McIlroy added. “But again, I made it perfectly clear: I am not going to stand your way if you need to make the decision you feel like you need to make for yourself. But at the same time, I feel like he's giving up a lot to not really benefit that much, you know.”

McKibbin is entered in this week’s event and next week’s Ras Al Ras Al Khaimah Championship with LIV Golf set to start the following week in Saudi Arabia.

The Newtownabbey man has not spoken publicly about his plans, telling reporters before the Team Cup last week that he wasn’t going to comment out of respect for the event and his captain, Justin Rose.

McIlroy said he had the impression that McKibbin was not yet 100 pc committed.

“No, very open,” he said when asked if McKibbin was headstrong about his desire to go to the Saudi-funded league which has upended world golf.  

“Very open to hearing my perspective and I appreciated him calling me to get it, as well.

“But again, as I said, at the end of the day, he has to make his own decision, and when he does, whatever way that goes, I'm always going to be a fan of his.

"I'm always going to try to help him in whatever way that I can.

“But you know, whatever way he chooses to go, you know, he's going to live with it, which is totally fine.  

“I think we all see the potential that he has, and I definitely think he can be a Top-10 player in the world.  “But obviously his ranking won't show that for the next couple years if he makes one decision over another.”

McIlroy, meanwhile, was announced as the winner of 2024 Seve Ballesteros Award after being voted Player of the Year by his peers on the DP World Tour for the fourth time.

"The Seve Ballesteros Award is special, as well, because it's voted on by your peers," McIlroy said. "They are the ones that have been out there on the course with you week-in, week-out, playing the same golf courses, competing.

"So to get their vote is very meaningful. I said to Javier (Ballesteros), the legacy that his dad left on not just European golf but global golf will live on forever.

"Our whole motivation that we rally around on the Ryder Cup team is Seve, and we feel like we have an advantage because of that.”

McIlroy finished second at the U.S. Open in May, then recorded top-five finishes in the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship, and Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

He also finished second at the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down, before claiming his third DP World Tour Championship win and 18th DP World Tour title.