PGA Tour rebel who ignored Rory McIlroy suffers big blow as LIV Golf stop paying fines

Tom McKibbin's future Ryder Cup ambitions have been thrown into jeopardy after LIV Golf opted to cease covering his fines. The Northern Irish golfer sent shockwaves through the sport when he jumped ship to the Saudi-funded breakaway circuit earlier this year.

In doing so, he gave up his newly acquired PGA Tour card and went against advice from Rory McIlroy, who warned that joining LIV was "not worth the sacrifice". McKibbin maintained his DP World Tour membership, keeping his European Ryder Cup eligibility intact.

In line with the European tour's rules, his LIV participation has triggered penalties, which his Saudi backers had been settling. However, this arrangement is set to end in 2026, with LIV no longer covering fines for players who remain affiliated with the DP World Tour, reports The Telegraph.

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This represents another setback for McKibbin, who missed the cut at the recent Open Championship at Portrush.

The report reveals that LIV has so far settled approximately £15million in player penalties, with potentially another £10million still outstanding. From next year onwards, golfers will need to cover their own fines if they want to maintain their DP World Tour status.

Failure to meet these payments would result in expulsion from the tour and Ryder Cup ineligibility, potentially weakening future European squads. Following September's contest at Bethpage Black in New York, the 2027 edition will take place at Adare Manor in County Limerick.

LIV golfers Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are challenging the financial penalties imposed on them for playing in the rebel series without permission. The appeal is set to take place following the forthcoming Ryder Cup.

The outcome is anticipated to favour the DP World Tour, echoing a past ruling where Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood lost a similar challenge two years prior. An arbitration panel upheld the DP World Tour's authority to enforce its rules.

Three years after LIV's contentious inception, many in the golfing world expected a resolution by now. In 2023, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) declared a "framework agreement" with a view to co-existing.

However, two years later, efforts to reconcile the sport remain at a standstill. This deadlock could leave rising star McKibbin, who sits at 56th in the DP Tour rankings, facing a tough choice: continue with LIV in hopes of an accord or settle his DP World Tour fines from his own funds.

McKibbin sought guidance from McIlroy on whether to make the profitable move to LIV. McIlroy added: "There is so much money in the game and some would argue too much money in the game for the eyeballs that we attract. For whatever the benefit may be, I don't think it's worth the sacrifice to what he's potentially going to give up."

However, that advice fell on deaf ears as McKibbin opted to join LIV, where he has already won around £3.5m after receiving an initial £4m for signing up.