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Rory McIlroy said he cautioned Tom McKibbin against joining LIV Golf because he did not believe that his protege was ready for all that it entails at this point of his young career.

McKibbin, 22, reportedly is expected to join Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII team on a multi-year deal when play on the new circuit begins in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 6. He would replace relegated Kieran Vincent in joining Rahm’s team along with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and America’s Caleb Surratt.

McIlroy said he received a call from McKibbin a few months ago when the fellow Northern Irishman first received the offer.

“I said to him, ‘If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making,'” McIlroy told reporters Wednesday at the Dubai Desert Classic.

“Working so hard to get your (PGA) Tour card in the states, 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 depending on how he would play … if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision.

“Personally, for me, it would be a little disappointing if it were to happen but again, I made it perfectly clear: I’m not going to stand in 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.”

McKibbin earned his PGA Tour card as one of the top 10 players without a card on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai.

He is a friend of McIlroy’s with both having played out of Holywood Golf Club,

McKibbin turned professional in 2021 and won the Porsche European Open in 2023. His best finish last year was a runner-up in the Italian Open, and McKibbin already has qualified for this year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

–Field Level Media