LIV Golf star now £3m richer after refusing to listen to Rory McIlroy

Northern Irish prodigy has silenced doubters by amassing nearly £3million since in January. The 22-year-old turned down a card and ignored the advice of mentor to join the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit, and is now reaping the rewards.

Five-time major champion McIlroy has been a vocal critic of , and urged compatriot McKibbin to stick with the PGA Tour, warning that the move to LIV wasn't "worth the sacrifice" of competing against the very best on the planet.

"If I were in his position, I wouldn't make that decision," McIlroy said in January after McKibbin's decision came to light. However, McKibbin appears unfazed, especially after helping his Legion XIII team bag £2.5m by winning the team event at LIV Golf Mexico City on Monday.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Legion XIII - captained by and featuring , and McKibbin - dominated the event, securing roughly £760,000 each. McKibbin's individual performance, while not the headline, was solid, contributing to the squad's triumph.

"It feels pretty good," McKibbin said. "It was a tough week for me, but today, having something to play for and try and help get a team win was pretty cool.

"And to be up there again was a lot of fun. Hopefully, we can do that a lot more."

This latest windfall follows his earlier LIV successes: £1.03m in Riyadh and £845,500 in Adelaide. In just three events, McKibbin has pocketed just under £3m, a figure that dwarfs the £2.1m average PGA Tour annual earnings for 2024.

McKibbin's journey to LIV stardom has been rapid. A former DP World Tour winner at the 2023 Porsche European Open, he earned his PGA Tour card last November through a dramatic birdie on the final hole of the DP World Tour Championship.

However, an £8m contract offer from LIV lured him to Rahm's Legion XIII. "I've watched LIV Golf for the last couple of years, and it's something that appeals to people my age," McKibbin told Sport. "The chance to play with some of the best players week in, week out is what drew me."

But while playing on the LIV Golf circuit might be lucrative (the tour has a no-cut format and guaranteed prize money) McKibbin's move could end up stunting his growth given the fact non-PGA Tour players are currently excluded from most majors.

Despite this, McKibbin isn't showing any signs of regret. "I'm not in those majors anyway at the minute, so it didn't bother me too much," he said.

The Belfast native's defection makes him the second Northern Irishman on LIV, joining 2010 US Open champion . His performances have drawn praise from Rahm, who noted: "It should give him a lot of confidence to come in, play well, and get the team win."

For now, McKibbin's bank balance speaks louder than the critics. With £3m - and counting - in the bank in just a matter of weeks, the young star's gamble has undoubtedly paid off... at least for the time being.