Golf prodigy Tom McKibbin has been excelling in his career since he joined LIV, inching closer to rival Rory McIlroy in earnings. The young talent from Belfast, who used to earn significantly less than McIlroy on the European Tour, has now accumulated half of his fellow countryman’s winnings in 2025.
Despite finishing tied for 22nd at LIV Golf Indianapolis recently, McKibbin still took home a commendable £150,000. This brings his total individual earnings for the year to around £3.2 million as the season concludes with the Team Championship in Michigan.
In addition to his personal success, McKibbin’s Legion XIII team also secured second place at Indianapolis, earning an additional £1.1 million. With this weekend’s winnings, McKibbin’s total LIV earnings for 2025 reach approximately £6.3 million, showcasing a remarkable rise for the rookie who resisted McIlroy’s advice to steer clear of LIV.
Meanwhile, McIlroy, who achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters earlier this year, has outperformed McKibbin on the PGA Tour, amassing about £12.3 million in earnings so far in 2025, nearly double that of McKibbin.
Although McKibbin’s yearly earnings still lag behind McIlroy’s, the gap between the two has significantly narrowed compared to previous years. McKibbin has more than doubled his combined earnings from the European Tour and PGA Tour after joining LIV for just one season. However, he still has a long way to go to match McIlroy’s impressive £80 million PGA Tour career earnings.
Despite the earnings gap, McKibbin can take pride in his progress and surpassing a golfing legend in earnings this year. Phil Mickelson, with six major wins, has yet to win on LIV since joining in 2022 and finished with slightly lower individual earnings than McKibbin at the end of the season.
McKibbin’s success in his debut year with LIV, alongside top-tier teammates, hints at a promising future for the young Northern Irishman. Team captain Jon Rahm’s successful defense of his individual championship, despite not winning an individual event all year, reflects the high caliber of talent in the team.
As McKibbin finishes the year among the lock zone places for 2025, ahead of Mickelson, he sets his sights on further growth to match McIlroy’s legacy. Sky’s discounted Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the upcoming season will offer fans more live matches across various leagues, including an increased number of Premier League games.