He chose LIV Golf over the PGA Tour. Now he earned a Masters invite

He Chose LIV Golf Over the PGA Tour, Now Earns Masters Invite

Tom McKibbin drew attention after choosing LIV Golf instead of joining the PGA Tour. On Sunday, the young Northern Irish golfer captured the Hong Kong Open title, which secured his place at the 2026 Masters.

From Bold Move to Major Reward

When McKibbin turned down the PGA Tour to sign with LIV Golf, he appeared to sacrifice a clearer path to major championships. Since LIV events do not currently grant Official World Golf Ranking points, he had to seek other routes to qualify.

This week, McKibbin made his Asian Tour debut, where several other LIV players also competed. Entering the final round with a one-shot lead, he dominated the day, winning by seven strokes with a remarkable final-round score of 63 after opening with a 60 on Thursday.

Securing the Masters and the Open

Due to a recent update in qualification rules, McKibbin’s victory in Hong Kong earned him exemptions into both the 2026 Masters Tournament and The Open Championship.

“Very excited to go back and play my third Open, it will be very, very cool,” McKibbin said. “And to have that drive down Magnolia Lane for the first time ever, it will be even more special. You know, I think sort of historic tournaments like this deserve those spots, and yeah, it’s great to sort of take advantage of those.”

American golfer Peter Uihlein finished second, seven shots behind McKibbin’s winning total of 27 under par.

Author’s Summary

Tom McKibbin’s bold choice to join LIV Golf over the PGA Tour has now paid off, as his Hong Kong Open victory earned him invitations to both the Masters and The Open in 2026.

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GOLF.com GOLF.com — 2025-11-03

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