LIV star that defied Rory McIlroy pockets €550k as Northern Irishman skips event

Irish Daily Mirror

18 hours ago

Tom McKibbin pocketed more than €550,000 after his stellar performance at LIV Dallas, as the young Northern Irish golfer continues to rake in the cash on the controversial Saudi-backed circuit.
The 22-year-old shared fifth place with Charles Howell III, Harold Varner III and Tyrrell Hatton on Sunday, bagging the hefty sum and pushing his total LIV earnings over the €4.3 million mark.
Despite initially being cautioned by Rory McIlroy against relinquishing his PGA Tour card for the rival tour, his January move to LIV has proven to be quite the lucrative leap for the Belfast-born star.
McKibbin, who was reportedly tempted by a €4.6m offer to join the breakaway tour, made the jump to join big names like Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, with McIlroy expressing his reservations about his fellow countryman's career move.
"If I were in his position, I wouldn't make that decision," declared the Masters champion when McKibbin bid farewell to the PGA Tour. While McKibbin was cashing in at Dallas, McIlroy decided to give the Rocket Classic in Detroit a miss, even though the winner stood to earn €1.4m.
In the absence of the five-time major winner, it was the 20-year-old Aldrich Potgeiter who narrowly triumphed with a final round of 69, snagging his first PGA Tour title in just his 20th appearance.
The young sensation not only bagged a sizeable cash prize but also etched his name into the history books by becoming the youngest South African to win on the PGA Tour. Additionally, he joined the elite group of non-American players under 21 to clinch a PGA Tour event, an exclusive list featuring golfing greats like Seve Ballesteros, Joaquin Niemann, Tom Kim and McIlroy.
Potgeiter, reliving his victory, shared: "Today was a grind. It's not a fun thing to start with a lead, but it's always nice to win in a playoff. Going into the playoff, they picked some good holes that suited my game, but I'm just happy to get through that playoff.
"I'd like to thank everyone in South Africa, for staying up so late, as well as my friends and family. You guys have been awesome!" With eyes turning towards The Open Championship next month at Royal Portrush, McKibbin reflected on the privilege of competing at such a major event in front of a home crowd.
Having competed last year at Royal Troon, McKibbin is set to experience a first by playing The Open in Northern Ireland, expressing: "I've played here however many hundreds of times.
"It's somewhere I've come up and played since I was 10 years old. To play a major championship on this golf course is going to be pretty special, the biggest event I'll ever have played in under that pressure and atmosphere."
The last time the event took place at Royal Portrush was in 2019, when Shane Lowry claimed the Claret Jug. "It's something not many people get to say, that they've played an Open in their home country," added the LIV star.
"To play it here on one of the best courses in the world, it's going to be pretty special. To be here and be playing will be something that I'll probably remember forever."