Tom McKibbin has officially signed for LIV Golf with Jon Rahm taking to X this afternoon to announce the addition of the Holywood star to his Legion XIII team.

“Tom McKibbin, welcome to the team, let's go,"‘ Rahm said with a double-fisted celebration when announcing that McKibbin will be joining  him, Tyrrell Hatton and American Caleb Surrat on the Legion XIII formed last year.

The Newtownabbey native (22) will make his debut when the LIV Golf League begins its fourth season with the LIV Riyadh event at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia next week.

McKibbin, who is believed to have signed a $5 million contract for three years, was expected to take up his PGA TOUR card after winning one of 10 dual memberships via the DP World Tour last year.

He called Rory McIlroy late last year to tell him of the offer, but while his sometime mentor advised him against going to LIV and jeopardising his chances of play9ing in Majors and qualifying for Europe’s Ryder Cup team, he has gone ahead.

“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 said in Dubai earlier this month.

“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.”

He added: "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.

“I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot.”
McKibbin will make his debut in Saudi Arabia on 6 February but the world number 106, who reached a career high of 97th in June laset year, will not earn world ranking points.

He has already qualified for The Open at Royal Portrush but may now fail to qualify for the US PGA in May and will have to qualify for the US Open at Oakmont.

He will be suspended by the PGA TOUR despite never playing an event as a member and faces fines and suspensions from the DP World Tour should he play LIV Golf events without an official release.

Like team mates Rahm and Hatton, he can serve his suspensions, appeal those fines and remain eligible for Ryder Cup selection providing he keeps his DP World Tour membership and plays the four-event minimum.

He may be counting on a thawing of relations between the PGA TOUR, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund, who are currently negotiating a deal.

He becomes the second player from Northern Ireland to make the jump after Graeme McDowell, now with Brooks Koepka’s Tream Smash, joined the breakaway tour in 2022.