"I love Irish people”: Jon Rahm makes his feelings clear on his LIV Golf team's latest signing

Jon Rahm recently announced that Tom McKibbin has been signed to his LIV Golf team, Legion XIII. Rahm expressed confidence in this move, saying that he thinks McKibbin will make a great addition to the roster. McKibbin is now the fourth member of Legion XIII, joining Tyrrell Hatton, Caleb Surratt, and Jon Rahm.

Rahm is a Spanish professional golfer who held the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings in 2022. He made his LIV Golf debut in 2024, and is now the captain of Legion XIII.

Tom McKibbin, on the other hand, is a Northern Irish golfer who turned pro in 2021 and won his maiden DP World Tour title in 2023. Although McKibbin secured his first ever PGA Tour card in November 2024, he gave it up to join the LIV Golf League in 2025. This is because according to Tour rules, players on the LIV Golf circuit are not eligible to participate in the PGA Tour.

Rahm recently spoke to LIV Golf, expressing his love for Irish people. He reckons the Northern Irish golfer will make his team even stronger this year.

“I love Irish people. Me and the Northern Irish, right? I think he’s going to be a really good fit,” the two-time Irish Open champion said.

The position on Legion XIII was formerly held by Kieran Vincent, a Zimbabwean professional golfer. However, he was relegated from the LIV Golf League in 2024 which vacated a spot.

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Jon Rahm says Tom Mckibbin’s travel experience is a key factor for Legion XIII's success

Another reason why Jon Rahm thinks Tom Mckibbin will be good for Legion XIII is his travel experience. He told LIV Golf:

“Tom is used to travelling the world, which I think is a big key.”

Rahm also noted that one of Legion XIII's members, Caleb Surratt, did not have a strong year in 2024. He suggested that Surratt's limited international travel experience might have contributed to this. The Spanish professional golfer said:

"One of the reasons why maybe Caleb had not had a good year compared to his standards was the fact that he had to travel so much, and he wasn’t used to it. Tom is definitely used to it. The DP World Tour, they definitely are able to travel a lot. So, having a young, incredible talent with a bright future that’s used to travel is something very, very special.”

Jon Rahm shared the news of Tom McKibbin’s signing on his Instagram page. He posted a video saying:

“Tom McKibbin, welcome to the team. Let’s go!”

McKibbin will make his LIV Golf debut at the season opener in Riyadh. The event will kick off in Saudi Arabia before moving to Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other locations.