McKibbin takes LIV earnings past €3 million barrier after team win in Mexico City
Tom McKibbin helped Legion XIII win the team event at LIV Golf Mexico City and earned $896,000 to bring his winnings on the breakaway tour to €3.4 million.
The Newtownabbey native birdied his final hole to close with a one-under 70 and finish 34th on two-over, 18 shots behind Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
He won $146,000 individually and another $750,000 as his Legion XIII claimed its second team win of the season to split $3m.
“It feels pretty good,” McKibbin said. “It was a tough week for me, but today, having something to play for and try and help get a team win was pretty cool.
“And to be up there again was a lot of fun. Hopefully, we can do that a lot more.”
Niemann shot a six-under 65 to claim his third victory of the season and earn LIV Golf’s US Open exemption with one tournament to go.
“Pretty hard to make it more special than this moment right now,” world number 83 Niemann said after winning by three shots at Club de Golf Chapultepec from Lucas Herbert and Bryson DeChambeau.
Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm finished alone in fourth on 12 under with Graeme McDowell joint 17th on three-under ($255,000).
Niemann’s win guaranteed his exemption into the US Open at Oakmont, no matter what happens next week at LIV Golf Korea, the final tournament before the exemption deadline.
He is now set to play in the remaining three majors this season after finishing joint 29th at last month’s Masters.
“My team was asking me to sign up for the qualifier and the sectional, and I wasn’t really into that,” Niemann said of the US Open.
“More than anything, I’m grateful that I’m not playing 36 holes on a Monday after the tournament.”
Zurich Classic of New Orleans winners Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin secured spots in next month’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow alongside the DP World Tour’s Asian Swing top three - Keita Nakajima, Eugenio Chacarra and Hainan Classic winner Marco Penge.
Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and 2008 champion Padraig Harrington will be at Quail Hollow, while Seamus Power is 65th in the PGA Championship points list and poised to make the top 70 who qualify after this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas.
The top 100 in the world on May 5 who are not already exempt will likely be named in the field by the PGA of America, but McKibbin is 119th.
The Holywood Golf star is exempt into The Open at Royal Portrush and can still qualify for the US Open.
