Golf prodigy Tom McKibbin has been steadily advancing in his career since becoming a part of LIV, nearing the level of success achieved by Rory McIlroy in certain aspects. Hailing from Belfast, McKibbin, who previously earned less than McIlroy on the European Tour, has now accumulated half of his fellow countryman’s earnings in 2025.
Despite his 22nd place finish at LIV Golf Indianapolis, McKibbin, aged 22, still walked away with a commendable £150,000. This brings his total individual earnings for the year to around £3.2 million as the season wraps up with the Team Championship in Michigan.
In addition to his personal achievements, McKibbin’s Legion XIII team secured second place at Indianapolis, sharing a £1.1 million prize. This translates to an extra £277,000 from the weekend alone, contrasting with McIlroy’s £326,000 earnings for his T12 finish at the BMW Championship.
With four team victories and various results throughout 2025, McKibbin has amassed approximately £6.3 million in total LIV earnings for the year. Despite declining McIlroy’s advice to steer clear of LIV, McKibbin is yet to secure his first win in the series.
Meanwhile, McIlroy, who triumphed in the Masters and completed a career Grand Slam earlier this year, has significantly outperformed McKibbin on the PGA Tour with earnings of about £12.3 million this year, nearly double that of McKibbin.
Although McKibbin’s yearly earnings still lag behind McIlroy’s, the gap between the two has notably narrowed compared to the previous year. Before joining LIV, McKibbin had earned just over £2.7 million from the European and PGA Tours combined.
Despite the earnings gap, McKibbin has more than doubled his career earnings from those tours in just one LIV season. However, he has a considerable way to go before reaching McIlroy’s £80 million from his PGA Tour career.
Nonetheless, McKibbin is undoubtedly pleased with his progress as he navigates his way through LIV, boasting the achievement of out-earning a prominent golf figure this year.
Phil Mickelson, with six major victories, is still awaiting his first LIV win since spearheading the PGA exodus in 2022. Finishing T40 in Indianapolis, Mickelson ended the season with slightly less earnings than McKibbin.
This marks a significant accomplishment for McKibbin in less than a year with the Saudi organization, indicating his potential to become a formidable contender in the future.
Joining LIV as a newcomer this year and having top-tier teammates has undoubtedly been advantageous for McKibbin. Team captain Jon Rahm successfully defended his individual championship despite not clinching an individual event all year.
Securing a second-place finish in Indianapolis, Rahm surpassed Joaquin Niemann on the overall leaderboard to claim the top prize once again. McKibbin concluded the year in 20th place, securing a spot among the lock zone places for 2025.
Mickelson wrapped up the season in 24th place, narrowly securing the final lock spot himself. McKibbin, who witnessed McIlroy’s legendary status at The Open this year in Northern Ireland, has a long journey ahead to match McIlroy’s legacy.
Despite the disparities, McKibbin has demonstrated impressive growth in his short time with LIV, setting the stage for a promising future in the sport.