LIV Golf announced it has signed Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin.

McKibbin, 22, has been linked to the Saudi-backed league for months, and did not comment on the rumours when pressed earlier this month from Golf Digest Middle East at the DP World Tour’s Team Cup.

McKibbin has one career win on the DP World Tour and is currently 106th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He earned a PGA Tour card through the Race to Dubai standings, although will forfeit his status with his defection. The news was made official by Legion XIII, the club helmed by Jon Rahm, announcing McKibbin on social media.

McKibbin is perhaps best known for his affiliation with Rory McIlroy; McKibbin played out of the same Northern Ireland club (Holywood) and cites McIlroy as a mentor. Earlier this month McIlroy was asked about the prospects of McKibbin signing with LIV.

“As soon as he got the offer, he rang me,” McIlroy explained. “We had a really good conversation, and I talked to him multiple times over the course of December to sort of get a feel for what he was thinking and basically what he was going to do. All I could do is give my perspective. I really like Tom as a person, as a player. I think he’s got a ton of potential. I said to him: ‘If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.’

“Working so hard to get your card in the States, something that he did, 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 … I don’t think anything is official yet but if I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision.”

McKibbin finishes a quiet offseason for LIV, as he joins Ben Campbell, Luis Masaveu, Frederik Kjettrup, Yubin Jang and Max Lee as newcomers to the league. LIV begins its fourth season next week in Saudi Arabia.

Main Image: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images