Tom McKibbin's net worth from LIV Golf, ditching iconic caddie, reason for Rory McIlroy snub
Tom McKibbin has had an incredible start to his LIV Golf career after snubbing the PGA Tour earlier this year.
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman, who honed his skills at Holywood Golf Club alongside Rory McIlroy, won his PGA card at the end of 2024 thanks to a remarkable stint on the DP World Tour. However, instead of joining McIlroy on the prestigious PGA Tour, he opted to join Jon Rahm's Legion XIII set-up under the LIV banner.
And the move may have proved beneficial to McKibbin, with the youngster enjoying a tremendous run within the circuit thus far. McKibbin finished T15 in LIV's first event of the year over in Riyadh, shooting an overall core of 10-under-par, before impressing with a T7 place in Adelaide in February at six-under.
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Meanwhile, Legion XIII – made up of McKibbin, Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt – took the team title in Riyadh, before finishing second overall in Adelaide. And McKibbin and Legion XIII will hope for another strong finish this Sunday as the LIV circuit travels to Hong Kong's Golf Club Fanling.
But what does the pro's net worth look like, who is his caddie, and what is McIlroy's stance on him playing under the LIV banner that the four-time major winner was once strongly opposed to? Here, Belfast Live breaks it down...
A £1.1million win
Thanks to his success with Legion XIII in Riyadh, McKibbin has already made over a million pounds from LIV in 2025 thus far. The youngster reportedly bagged just north of £799,000 thanks to his outstanding performance in Riyadh, as well as £365k for his second-place team finish in Adelaide.
And McKibbin may be able to bolster his net worth further with a strong finish in Hong Kong on Sunday – with the tournament offering an individual prize pot of between £314k and £3.1m for finishing in the top 10, as well as £2.3m, £1.1m, and £388k team prize pots for finishing first, second and third respectively.
While there's very little information on McKibbin's overall net worth, it is thought that his LIV Golf winnings thus far, coupled with previous DP World Tour earnings have made him a comfortable millionaire.
A change of caddie
McKibbin made headlines when he recruited the assistance of veteran caddie David McNeilly in February 2023, parting ways with Chris Selfridge on the greens and fairways. McNeilly provided incredible experience and know-how for McKibbin in his role, after working with several major-winning professionals over the years including the likes of Nick Faldo.
However, following a T66 finish at the 2024 Open, McKibbin once more decided to have a switch-up of aide – enlisting the help of close friend, Ricky McCormick while sending McNeilly on his way. Speaking about the decision, McKibbin explained: "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."
The move ultimately paid dividends for McKibbin, who snagged his PGA Tour card at the end of the 2024 season thanks to remarkable performances on the DP World Tour, albeit, ultimately choosing to sacrifice it for his spot in the LIV Golf league.
A warning from McIlroy falls on deaf ears
Given their relationship on the holes of Holywood, McIlroy was elated to see McKibbin achieve his first PGA Tour card at the end of 2024, excited for what the future held for his fellow countryman. Recounting the moment McKibbin achieved his card in November, McIlroy said: "I was looking at the leader board 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 ultimately opted to sign under the LIV Golf banner rather than with the PGA Tour, and McIlroy shared the advice he gave to the youngster ahead of making his decision. Speaking in January, McIlroy said: "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."
Speaking on his own decision to ignore McIlroy's advice, McKibbin said in February: "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." LIV Golf Hong Kong comes to an end on Sunday.
