Tom McKibbin may be leaving for Saudi Arabia! The promising young golfer earned his PGA Tour card after showing signs of brilliance in 2024. He also plays at the DP World Tour regularly with the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic being his most recent appearance. Moreover, McKibbin is close friends with and looks up to PGA Tour loyalist; Rory McIlroy. But it seems that the lucrative opportunity of $5 million plus further annual garuntees from LIV Golf has convinced him to jump ship.
Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII is looking for a replacement for Kieran Vincent. The South African player got relegated from LIV Golf in 2024. Ever since then, the Spanish swinger, 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic champion; Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt have been in search of another player who would be compatible with their team. It seems that Tom McKibbin is considered the best candidate to fill that void for the LIV Golf team. And Smylie Kaufman is not particularly happy with the way this situation is progressing.
Charlie Hulme joined the 1x PGA Tour winner in the latest edition of The Smylie Show on YouTube. The two discussed the Tom McKibbin episode and everything that is going on around it. That’s when Hulme read out Rory McIlroy’s disappointment regarding McKibbin’s change of heart. The World No. 3 told Mckibbin, “If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making. I think working so hard to get your Tour card in the States was a big achievement.” McIlroy also added, “I think what he potentially is sacrificing and giving up with access to majors, potential Ryder Cup spot, depending on how he would play,” warning his young protege about the mistake he might make.
After sharing a bit more of McIlroy’s quotes, Hulme asked Kaufman for his opinion on the issue. The former PGA Tour pro said, “You can’t have guys play any PGA Tour events then take up status”. This suggests that Kaufman doesn’t want players to take advantage of the PGA Tour. He further added, “There has got to be some kind of fine that these guys have that opens up a spot for Jordan Smith.” For context, Jordan Smith was 11th in the qualification rankings, and hence he didn’t get his PGA Tour card.
The ex-professional golfer said that players should remain in the PGA Tour if they start playing it. If they choose to exit then they “should have to pay some form of fines”. Smylie Kaufman stated that the PGA Tour shouldn’t allow pros who are leaving to play in their events. This reduces the opportunities for someone who wants to stay on the Tour. Kaufman said that the fines should be substantial enough to “prohibit guys from even thinking about [leaving],” as he compared the situation to what Tyrrell Hatton did in 2024. For context, Hatton played The Sentry and the Sony Open in 2024 before moving on to LIV Golf.
The host of the Smylie Show said that McKibbin shouldn’t be allowed to play at the Farmers Insurance Open. But is the young pro even teeing off at the next PGA Tour event? Let’s find out.
Tom McKibbin’s PGA Tour schedule
The last time fans witnessed Tom McKibbin perform in the PGA Tour event was back in July 2024 during the Open Championship. Since then, he has played in 14 DP World Tour events. However, McKibbin’s profile on the PGA Tour website does say that he joined the league in 2025. But is he on the entry list at Torrey Pines?
The PGA Tour’s next event is the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open on January 22. The top players in the Tour will be heading to San Diego, California for the tournament. However, Tom McKibbin is not a part of the entry list so far. Even Collin Morikawa and Nicolai Hojgaard were replaced by other PGA Tour pros after they withdrew from the tournament. There is no sign of McKibbin participating in the last event of the month before the LIV Golf season begins. This does make it seem like the young pro golfer has already made his league switch. However, it would please Smylie Kaufman to learn that Tom McKibbin won’t be playing a PGA Tour event right before his exit.
